Jethro and Ziva
by iwannagibbs
Summary: As the title suggests, a story about Jethro and Ziva and their relationship. Some bumps along the way of course. She got him into this but can he manage to stay there and keep her?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: Italicized paragraphs in this story indicate memories or flashbacks.

**Jethro and Ziva**

Friday afternoon-NCIS Squad Room

Jethro Gibbs returned from his latest coffee run to find a folded note on his desk. The day had been dragging from the time he got there with no case to work and lots of paperwork still piled on everyone's desks. Between his three agents squabbling with each other and the director calling every half hour about some nonsense or another, he was about to lose his mind. He was beginning to think five o'clock would never come.

Gibbs opened the note and read: _I cannot go with you this weekend. I need to stay here and help a friend with something important. I am sorry. Z._

Trying to control his disappointment which had a tendency to run into anger, Gibbs stood up and barked, "David, my office. Now!"

Tony and Tim both looked up in surprise and glanced at Ziva who didn't seemed surprised at all. Tony gave her a sympathetic smile as she headed for the elevator behind their very unhappy boss.

"Gee, wonder what that's all about."

"No clue McGee. Did you see her do anything?"

"Nothing."

"Well, better her than me is all I can say."

"Yeah."

Ziva stepped into the steel box behind Gibbs and moved to the far corner. She knew what was coming and she thought she'd like to be as far away as possible which wasn't very far considering the size of the elevator car. No sooner had the car begun its descent than Gibbs flipped the emergency stop switch and the main light went out as the elevator jolted to a sudden stop.

Gibbs waved the offending note at her and said, "What is this, Ziva?"

"Clearly you know what it is or you would not be upset. I am sorry but I need to stay here and help Maureen Reilly with something. She called while you were out."

"Why didn't you tell her you're busy?"

"Because, Jethro, she is upset and she needs my help."

"And I don't?"

"No you do not. Not really. You want me to come for the fun of it and I would love to do that but I feel this is important."

Gibbs was now standing in the center of car, within reach of her but neither of them were reaching for the other. He raised his voice and said, "I'm not important?"

"Jethro, do not shout at me! Of course you are important but you and I have lots of time together. Maureen needs my help now."

They continued to argue and with each accusation and ugly comeback their voices grew louder and more strident. They often had disagreements as they were both very stubborn and both needed to be right most of the time but they only rarely raised their voices. For some reason today they were both on edge and their argument quickly got out of hand. Jethro grabbed her arm much too tightly and she pulled away from him. When he reached for her again she slapped him. Neither of those things had ever happened before and they were both stunned by their actions. Jethro stepped back and restarted the elevator without another word. Ziva could not believe she had struck him. She wanted to apologize but the look on his face said it would not be well received. Instead she stood silently rubbing her arm and trying desperately not to cry.

Tony and Tim could hear that they were arguing; not what was being said but the tone and volume indicated it was not a friendly discussion between boss and agent. Luckily, there were few other agents in the vicinity at the moment so it was not likely anyone else heard them. Tony was getting concerned and was about to call Ziva on her cell when the elevator dinged signaling its return to their floor.

When the doors opened, Ziva rushed out and headed straight for the ladies room. Tony waited for Gibbs to emerge and when he did Tony would have sworn he saw a handprint on the side of his boss' face. Gibbs was rubbing his face and moving his jaw back and forth as if to loosen it up. Tony looked at Tim who was trying very hard not to be there. He was about to ask Gibbs if everything was alright when the Boss fixed him with that glare that said, 'don't ask', so he didn't.

Tony had long suspected there was something besides business going on with Ziva and the Bossman but he had never been able to confirm his suspicions. He had certainly never observed anything like what just went on in the elevator. He snuck a glance at Gibbs and thought he looked unhappy. When Ziva returned to her desk a few minutes later Tony was dead certain she had been crying. Now he knew something was going on; nothing about work could make Ziva cry, this had to be personal. And for that reason, Tony didn't like his boss very much at the moment.

Everyone got busy with paperwork and Gibbs found a reason to leave the squad room again. Ziva watched him go and hoped he was going to see Ducky and that he calm Gibbs down. Her relationship with Gibbs was in a difficult period and neither of them knew what to do about it. Ziva sensed Jethro pulling away from her and felt powerless to stop him. In truth, they were both scared of where they were going; they both wanted more but didn't think the other one did.

Needless to say communication between the two of them was not at a high point. They argued more often lately and had even been spending nights alone at their respective homes in the past few weeks. That was not something either of them were happy about but each thought the other partner wanted it. Again, no talking was leading right to problems. Jethro had hoped if they went away this weekend they could work things out or at least figure out what they needed to work on. Now that wasn't going to happen and he was angry. And worried. He didn't want to lose Ziva and he didn't know what to do to fix whatever was wrong.

He didn't go talk to Ducky as Ziva had thought he was doing. Instead he went to a rarely used hallway and sat on the stairs that led to an even more rarely used storage area. Jethro wanted to hit something but in reality the person he most wanted to punish was himself. He was very frustrated with himself and his inability to understand what was going on between him and Ziva. He knew he loved Ziva and thought she loved him but for some reason they were not clicking anymore. He wanted to blame the job but that wasn't it. It wasn't his past or her past or their respective fathers or anyone else. Jethro knew in his soul it was him and try as he might he couldn't find the answer to the question of how to make things right. And so here he sat in a deserted stairwell while the woman he loved was upstairs angry with him and just as miserable as he was.

The longer he sat and brooded the farther away the answer seemed. Jethro considered that he could just walk away; end the whole thing and go back to his solitary life. After all he was doing okay before he let Ziva get past his normally formidable defenses. He had his projects, his job and when he wanted one, a woman could be found to share an evening and a night with, no strings attached. Yes, he considered that option. For about forty-five seconds. Then he let himself remember how it felt to wake up with Ziva snuggled up next to him. How it felt when she kissed him just because she wanted to and how it felt inside when she told him she loved him. No, walking away was most likely not an option. Not this time. Not from this woman. He would just have to figure out how they got off track and then get them back where they belonged.

Meanwhile upstairs in the squad room, Tony looked over at his partner and asked, "Ziva are you okay?"

"Yes, Tony I am fine."

"You didn't sound fine a little while ago and you sure didn't look fine when you came out of the elevator."

Ziva looked at him and saw he was genuinely concerned for her. She thought Tony suspected she and Gibbs were seeing each other but she was sure he had no idea of the dept of their relationship. That was something she herself was beginning to question.

"Thank you for asking Tony but I am fine. We disagreed about something but it is all worked out now."

"Okay but if you need me to I can take him for you. You know, put the hurt on him."

That made Ziva smile; Tony taking on Gibbs in her defense was sweet and yet very unlikely.

"You think you could take him? Really?"

"Absolutely. Piece of cake. You have to hold him of course. Okay?"

"Okay."

Jethro eventually returned to his desk and when five o'clock finally rolled around he sent his team home. Ziva left without saying anything to him but that was not unusual. Their relationship was not public knowledge so they conducted themselves at work as they always had. Most of the time their evening arrangement had been made in the morning as they were getting ready for work. This morning they had been in separate houses so no plan had been discussed although until just a couple of hours ago the plan had been to go to Jethro's cabin for the weekend. Now that that had been changed Ziva did not see any reason to make any arrangements with him. Gibbs had no intention of leaving town without apologizing and clearing the air but he didn't have a chance to talk to Ziva before she left so he would go see her on his way out of town.

Friday evening after work

Jethro parked his old reliable truck next to Ziva's sporty Mini and took a moment to think about what he was doing. He was on a mission of sorts but he knew it was not going to be successful. Not entirely anyway. But, he didn't mind because it was important to him to apologize to Ziva for hurting her feelings and for being angry over nothing. He wanted to spend some alone time with her before he left town so he hoped her friend wasn't already there.

Walking to her door he glanced at his watch and saw it was just before six o'clock. He figured he had about an hour before he needed to get on the road. He knocked on the door as he inserted his key and turned the lock. Good girl, he thought, it was locked. It wasn't always and they had argued about that. When they did, Ziva would scoff at him and point out that he did not lock his door and she was at least as deadly as he was. Generally he had no rebuttal for that argument. He slipped off his jacket and tossed it on the back of the couch.

"Ziva, you decent?" he called out to her as he stepped into the apartment.

Stepping into the small living area from the kitchen, she replied, "Since when do you care if I am decent or not?"

"I don't really. Just something to say I guess and I didn't want to startle you."

"Jethro, what are you doing here? You are supposed to be on the way to the cabin." There was a tension in her voice that Gibbs hated hearing. She was obviously still upset with him and he didn't blame her.

"I needed to see you before I left." Jethro reached for her but she backed up a step. He tried not let that bother him but it did.

Ziva saw the hurt in his eyes when she avoided his touch. She was still angry with him and if he touched her she would forget all about that. Somehow she needed to be strong enough to stand her ground tonight.

"I think we should let this go for now. Maureen will be here soon and you need to get on the road."

Jethro noted she was wearing the bathrobe she had stolen from his house. He was almost certain she wasn't wearing anything under the thick terry cloth. Her hair was damp and he could tell she hadn't been out of the shower very long. She smelled fabulous.

"You smell good, Ziver."

"Jethro I do not want you here tonight. I am not pleased with you and I want you to go."

"I can't leave without apologizing to you Ziva. I'm sorry I hurt you today. I'm sorry I got so angry so fast for no reason. I can't go with you still angry with me."

He didn't move toward her. He couldn't stand the idea of her rejecting him again so he didn't risk it.

"Well you will have to because I am still angry with you and I do not see that changing in the next few minutes."

Exasperated and just a little bit afraid, Jethro lashed out at her, "What the hell is the matter with you? Why are you making this so hard, Ziva?"

"Me! What is the matter with me? Listen to yourself, Jethro. You are the one who blew up for no reason. You are the one who accused me of not wanting to be with you. You are the one who said all those hurtful things earlier. You should leave now before we say things we cannot take back."

"I said I was sorry. I was counting on this weekend to get us back on track. I'm sorry I hurt you Zi. You know I love you and I didn't mean what I said."

"Maybe saying you are sorry is not enough this time."

"Please don't do this Zi. You know how I feel about you."

"I am not sure I do, Jethro. I am not sure you know how you feel. Maybe the weekend away will help you figure it out."

"I don't understand where all this is coming from Zi. What's going on? Why are you pushing me away?"

"Jethro you are the one who has been pulling away and you know it. You are the one who decided to stay at work late every night this week when it was not necessary. You need to decide what you really want because what we have been doing the last few months does not work for me anymore."

Jethro stepped toward her again and she backed away again. Now she was against the wall though and couldn't move any farther from him. Ziva was not afraid of Jethro she just didn't want him to touch her because she wasn't sure she could tell him no. He intoxicated her and the mere touch of his hand on her arm set her whole being on alert. She had never wanted a man like she wants Jethro and that meant she suffered a significant loss of control when he was too close.

When Ziva backed away from him again, Jethro was torn between losing his temper and losing hope. He knew if he pressed the issue and kissed her she would eventually give in and let him hold her. He recognized the power he had over Ziva because she had exactly the same power over him. He would have already been out the door if this was any other woman he had dated. No one else but Jenny had been worth his effort since Shannon. Ziva knew what she did to him just as he knew his effect on her.

Jethro was not inclined to force his affections on anyone and certainly not on Ziva. But dammit he needed to make her see how badly he felt about their situation. A situation he didn't even really understand.

They stood there in the living room, Ziva with her arms crossed tightly across her chest and Jethro with his hands clenching and unclenching as he fought to keep from touching her. They looked at each other searching for some hint of what to do next. Finally Ziva couldn't stand it any longer.

"What do you want from me Jethro?"

That was a loaded question if he ever heard one. He considered his response for a moment and when he answered her his voice was choked with emotion.

"Patience. I need you to be patient with me Ziver. I thought I was doing this right with you but I guess I'm not. Can you be patient with me for a little while longer?"

That was so far from what Ziva was expecting she had no answer for him. She felt tears welling in her eyes. The look on Jethro's face was so hopeful and so sad at the same time that she could barely stand her ground.

"Yes, I can be patient if that is what you need. I have told you over and over that I love you but I need to know you truly want us to be together. You have not been showing me that lately and that has to change."

"Okay. I need something else, Zi. I need you to forgive me for today. I am sorry for the things I said that hurt you. I never want to be the reason you cry."

"I forgive you, Jethro. I am sorry I slapped you."

"Can I hold you before I go?"

Ziva walked the two steps it took to close the distance between them. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him on the mouth. When she let him up to breathe Jethro dropped a series of barely there kisses all over her throat. Things started getting heated and Ziva pulled back enough to look him in the face.

"I have company coming over very soon."

Jethro ran his hands gently through her damp hair and inhaled her scent as he leaned down to kiss her.

"You smell so good."

"Hmm, just had a shower but as I just said I have company coming over."

Jethro wasn't really listening anymore. He teased her lips with the tip of his tongue and whispered in her ear, "You taste so good. Come with me tonight."

"No."

"Please. I don't want to spend the weekend alone."

Ziva stopped him with two fingers on his lips.

"Jethro, I told you I need to stay here and help a friend. Are we really having this argument again?"

Jethro kissed her again. When he let her breathe he whispered in her ear, "What about helping me?"

"Are you begging? You are sad and pitiful, you know that? Go to the cabin, fix what needs fixing and come home. You will be fine. You used to go there alone all the time."

"That was before you."

Jethro had somehow maneuvered them out of the living room and had them headed for the bedroom. If he thought Ziva didn't know what he was doing he was sadly mistaken. He didn't really think he was outsmarting her; he knew better. He knew in his heart that she let him get away things just so he could think he was. She knew him like the back of her hand and SHE manipulated HIM much more than the other way around. And he loved it!

Ziva realized where they were and pushed him away with both hands on his chest. She was angry with herself for letting him manipulate her so easily.

"Jethro you think having sex will fix everything. It will not."

"It's not just having sex Ziva. You know that don't you? I want to make love with you, not just have sex."

"And you think that will fix our problems?"

"No, I don't think that."

Jethro looked at the floor and scrubbed his hands over his face and through his hair. Maybe he should just go. Just go to the cabin and forget all this at least for a few days. Maybe that would be easier. After he had those thoughts he realized that yes, it would be easier but it would also be a step back toward the darkness that Ziva had pulled him out of. He didn't want to take that step.

He reached up and gently took Ziva's face in his hands. He touched his forehead to hers and said very quietly, "Making love with you Ziva is about the only way I can tell you how much I love you."

Ziva closed her eyes so her tears wouldn't leak out and give away the emotions that were flooding her system. Sometimes Jethro was so damned sweet she could hardly stand it. She knew he was being absolutely honest and sincere and her heart swelled with love for him. Why did loving him have to be so hard? She forced herself to think and not just feel.

"Jethro, you need to go." It took all she had to step back from him and wrap her robe around herself.

Jethro was surprised to say the least. He looked at her for a long moment and finally understood she was not going to let him stay. The look on her face was one of determination and he knew very well when Ziva David made up her mind about something like this he was not going to persuade her otherwise.

"Please tell me we're going to be okay, Zi."

"I cannot honestly say that tonight Jethro. We have been coming apart for a long time now and maybe that is the way things are going to go."

"Is that what you want?"

"No. It is not. I want you. All of you, not just a few nights a week or every now and then. You have known that from the beginning but that has not been the case lately. Am I right?"

Jethro didn't want to answer that question. He closed his eyes and took some deep breaths. Ziva just watched him and waited. She knew he was struggling with their relationship. She wasn't sure why but she knew things had changed in the past several weeks.

Finally Jethro looked at her and very quietly he said, "Yes, you're right."

He looked so unhappy and confused Ziva almost reached for him but she forced herself to keep her hands to herself. She was not going to give up on them but she needed Jethro to do at least some of the work involved in keeping them together.

"Go to the mountains and figure out what is stopping you from truly investing in us, Jethro. Think about what you want and what you are willing to do to have what you want. I will be here when you come back and we can talk then. I still believe we can work things out but I need you to participate in doing that. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay. I love you Ziva. Do you believe me?"

"Yes. That is what makes this so difficult. Go on now. I need to get ready. Call me when you get home."

"Can't I just come here?"

"No, call me when you get home."

"Ziva, please don't do this. Don't shut me out."

"I am not shutting you out. You just need to call me in case Maureen is still here. And, I want you to be sure you know what you are going to do about us."

Jethro reached for her and Ziva let him pull her into a kiss. When he pulled back, Jethro wrapped her in his arms and held her for what seemed like a long time. When he finally loosened his grip he kissed her gently on the lips, turned and walked out. Ziva stood in the bedroom and heard the apartment door open and close. She took a deep breath and said a silent prayer that she had not just lost the only man she had ever truly loved.

Walking to his truck, Jethro was thinking much the same thing Ziva was; had he just walked away from the only person he had a chance to be happy with? He asked himself why he wasn't able to give Ziva the assurances she needed. Why he wasn't able to let go and let himself love her openly and honestly. He didn't know the answers to those question and he understood he needed to find those answers before he came back to her or he was in real danger of losing her. Jethro was pretty sure he didn't want to let her go but he also didn't know how he was going to give Ziva what she wanted and deserved and still protect himself.

While Jethro was driving the three hours to his cabin in the mountains of West Virginia, Ziva and Maureen enjoyed a girl's night in. They drank wine, watched a movie and trashed all the bad men in their lives. Ziva had a few men in her past life that she was happy to throw on the trash heap of lousy guys and Maureen certainly had her now ex-boyfriend to add. The more her friend talked about Bob the more Ziva disliked him and the happier she was that Maureen had walked away from him.

"Do you worry about him bothering you in Boston?"

"Not at all because I haven't told him where I'm going and I don't plan to do so. My forwarding information is a post office box as you suggested and my apartment there is rented under my cousin's name."

"How did you ever get mixed up with such a loser? You are much too smart and attractive for a man like that."

"Bob was a really nice guy when we met and started dating. He had a good job and a nice place to live. About six months or so ago he was in a bad car accident and after that he got hooked on pain pills. It has taken over his life and his personality. He is truly a different person now."

"I have heard of that happening but never known anyone who has been through it. He won't get help?"

"He tried, once, but it didn't take and he gave up. I can't devote any more time and effort to his illness. I need to get away."

"Yes, I agree. I will worry about you until you are safely in Boston."

"I'll be fine Ziva. Don't worry."

"I will worry until you have moved. But this weekend we will just enjoy ourselves."

All the way to his cabin Jethro thought about Ziva and what they were doing. On some level he knew that being in a romantic relationship with one of his agents was wrong for a number of reasons. He had been involved with Jenny when they were in Europe together and obviously that had not ended well. Every time he had this conversation with himself, which was pretty often, he kept coming back to how things had ended with Jenny. He argued to himself that this was different, Ziva and Jenny were not the same person and he was certainly not the same man he had been all those years ago.

It was different in many ways and that, he hoped, was what would make the difference in the long run. He and Jenny had acted on a shared passion that had started as a spark of attraction when they first met and ignited in the hot Marseille night, burning into a raging firestorm that eventually consumed them. That was not the case with him and Ziva. They were most certainly passionate about and with each other, but they were not blinded by their desire for each other like he and Jenny had been. At least Jethro knew he had been blind when it came to Jenny. He was definitely very aware of who Ziva was and what she wanted from him.

Jethro thought about the first time he and Ziva had had sex. That was how he thought about it now; having sex. It wasn't about making love at that point. It was just about reassuring each other they were alive and still able to connect with another person in an intimate, if calculated way. It had been the one year anniversary of Jenny's death and Jethro knew even at the time that the memory of that horrible day was what had drawn them to each other like magnets.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews and follows. As indicated in the first note, italics indicate a memory or flashback.

**Jethro and Ziva**

Chapter 2

_Ziva showed up in his basement late that night and he was not nearly drunk enough to blame what happened on bourbon. He had been a real bastard all day at work and Ziva had tolerated him, knowing what day it was and understanding he was hurting even if he wouldn't admit it. She confronted him right there in his own house. In his basement. His sanctuary. He was still building a boat then and the air was thick with sanding dust and remorse and self loathing. From the day they met Ziva never took anything Jethro threw at her personally. She did not take offense at his initial distrust of her or of his later wariness toward her. She had known from the beginning just what he had endured both personally and professionally and from her own experiences she knew a person could not help but be affected by a loss such as the one Jethro suffered as a young man. She understood his obsession with revenge and did not fault him his actions in Mexico._

_When she got up in his personal space that night and forced him to face what he had been avoiding for days he hadn't been sure what to make of her. She told him she understood his sadness and reminded him he wasn't the only one hurting. She told him how Tony continued to beat himself up about Jenny, how much Ducky missed her and that Abby still cried when she thought about the Director. She punctuated all those reminders with a sharp finger jabbing him in the chest. There was no mention of the fact that Ziva and Jenny had been such good friends; Jethro wasn't that dense that he didn't understand what was going on with Ziva that night. _

_She finally finished lecturing him and then she just stood there, about two inches away and waited for him to respond. She didn't know what she expected but seeing those mesmerizing blue eyes fill with tears was not it. Jethro didn't move, he didn't say anything for a long time. Finally when she didn't think she could stand it any longer he reached out and pulled her those last two inches into his arms. Ziva wrapped her arms around him and melted into his embrace. His tears fell in her hair and hers soaked his shirt. _

_They couldn't tell you even now who made the next move and it didn't really matter. One of them made a move to step back but instead Ziva looked up when Jethro looked down and they kissed. At first it was just a little brush of lips but once that happened neither of them had the power to stop. Soon their almost platonic kiss was anything but. _

_Jethro later told himself it was his fault; he was the boss and he should have stopped himself. But that night he simply could not. They barely spoke but before long they were undressing each other and he had her backed up against the boat. Ziva knew this was probably not a good idea but she didn't care; she wanted to be right where she was, doing exactly what they were about to do. She didn't care that he was her boss, that they were both still mourning Jenny or that somehow come tomorrow they would have to work together. She wanted Jethro to make her feel alive, make her feel wanted. She just wanted to feel something good for a change. That night she did. _

_Even though it was what Tony would call a quickie, it was a turning point for both Jethro and Ziva. When she left that night Ziva knew they had crossed a line but she really had no idea what that would mean in the long run. She didn't regret having sex with Jethro but she didn't really know what, if anything it would mean for them going forward._

_Jethro spent the rest of the night questioning himself and his judgment although he had to admit he wasn't all that sorry for what they had done. Something long buried had been awakened in Jethro that night and even though he didn't recognize it then, he knew something had definitely changed for him. But, instead of acknowledging the good feelings he got from being with Ziva he did what he always did with his feelings; he buried them deep within his soul where no one else could see them and even he rarely had to face them. _

_Ziva on the other hand recognized what she felt for her stubborn, obstinate, passionate boss. She knew herself and she knew she had feelings for Gibbs that went way beyond friendship or team loyalty or whatever they were "supposed" to feel for one another. She didn't know what she was going to do about those feelings or when she was going to do it but she knew for sure that she would not just write that night off as if nothing important had happened. _

Jethro decided to concentrate on his driving and leave the reminiscing for later. It was dark now and the road that led to his cabin was narrow and winding; he had no desire to end up in a ditch. A friend who had a cabin about a mile from his had called him early in the week to tell him they had been hit by a bad windstorm and there were some trees down at Jethro's place. Jethro decided he better go up, clean the place up and make sure the cabin was not damaged.

By the time he arrived at the cabin it was dark and Jethro didn't take the time to check out the yard or surrounding area. That could wait until daylight. He got his duffle and headed inside. At least what he could see of the cabin in the dark showed it to be undamaged. When he got inside he was happy to find the electricity working. He had been afraid a tree might have fallen on the wires. Once he had taken a look through the cabin and satisfied himself it was in good shape he reached for his phone to call Ziva.

Unfortunately his phone was not in his pocket. He checked his bag and went out to the truck to look there. No phone. He thought for a minute and realized he must have somehow left it at Ziva's. Then he remembered; it had been in his jacket pocket and in his haste to get out of the apartment he left his jacket on the couch. Well he would have to do without calling her he guessed. There was a phone back in the small town about five miles down the road but he was too tired to drive back there tonight. Maybe he'd call tomorrow.

It had been a long week at work with several late nights. Added to that was the tension between himself and Ziva and the fact that she hadn't been in his bed the last several nights. Given those circumstances it was no wonder Jethro was so tired. He decided to hit the sack and get an early start in the morning. As he got into bed, Jethro wished again Ziva was with him. He always slept better with her beside him. He fell asleep dreaming of the two of them on a secluded beach where no one knew them and they could walk together in the sand without worrying about being seen. Someday.

The next morning Jethro was up early and with his coffee in hand he walked outside to check on the tree damage. There were two trees down at the edge of the clearing in the back of his property and countless branches and limbs of all sizes scattered all over the yard. He was glad he'd brought the chainsaw because he was sure going to need it. Jethro walked down to his fishing dock and found a sizable tree branch had fallen on the dock knocking down the railing on one side and damaging several boards on the deck.

Jethro pulled on his gloves and started removing the lumber that had been the railing and stacking it near the pathway. Some of it could be salvaged he was happy to see. He considered what to do about the tree branch. It was too large for him to lift and he didn't relish the idea of getting the pieces back to the cabin if he cut it up. From the looks of the yard there was plenty of firewood there so he decided to leave the branch at the pond. Stepping carefully to avoid the broken decking he used a board from the railing as a lever and managed to roll the tree branch off the deck and into the water. He used a longer piece of the railing to push the log out into the water and watched as it floated toward the other side of the pond just as he'd hoped it would.

There wasn't much else he could do at the dock until he was ready to replace the railing and decking and since he didn't have the lumber he needed for that he returned to the cabin for some breakfast. After a quick meal of fried eggs and coffee, Jethro retrieved the chainsaw from the truck and headed to the first large tree branch. After two solid hours of work, Jethro's arms were about to fall off but he had cut up most of the biggest pieces of wood. He got a beer from the cooler on the porch and sat down to rest. It was a beautiful late summer day and the sun was beating down. A nice breeze blew off the mountain and Jethro thought again about Ziva. He hoped she and her friend were having a good day.

Looking around at what was left to be done, Jethro decided he could get everything that was crucial finished today and then he could head home in the morning. Not being able to call Ziva was bothering him. He couldn't remember the last time he had not talked to her for an entire day.

Being in a relationship with Ziva was the best thing Jethro had done in twenty years. He was more relaxed and calmer than he had ever been. The fact that their relationship was a secret was beginning to bother him though and as much as he relished his privacy he thought maybe the secrecy was creating some of the tension between them. In the beginning it added to the romance of the situation but maybe, he thought, it was time to let the world know they were together. But, if they did that and it went bad there would be lots of drama to deal with. Gibbs didn't do drama. Of course it might not go bad. And the sun might come up in the west tomorrow too.

Some days he wanted Ziva living with him and he thought maybe she was ready for that too. He realized weeks ago he was tired of waiting and sneaking around. They had been together for almost a year now and he couldn't see himself ever letting her go. On the other hand he couldn't imagine them having the 'happily ever after' he knew Ziva wanted and deserved. That just didn't happen for him. And that was the real issue; he knew how this would all end and he wanted to spare Ziva that heartache. The more he thought about them the harder it was for him to figure out what to do. He hated not having the answers. He hated himself for letting things get this complicated because he had known from the very beginning he didn't have what it took to make a life with Ziva. No matter how much he wanted it.

Since the wood wasn't going to stack itself and all this thinking was giving him a headache, Jethro got up and got back to work. Three hours later he had almost two ricks of firewood cut, split and stacked near the cabin. Jethro got another beer and went in to fix himself some lunch. He cleaned up and fixed himself a ham and cheese sandwich and opened a bag of Fritos. He took his plate to the back porch and stretched out on a lounger in the shade. About five minutes after he had devoured his lunch he was sound asleep.

Jethro woke with a start and realized he had been having another dream but this one was not a happy dream. Something had happened to Ziva and he couldn't find her. In his dream he had been driving and driving but he couldn't find her anywhere. And someone was chasing him. He shook his head and scrubbed his hands over his face. He cursed himself for not having his phone.

It was late afternoon now and Jethro still had a few hours of work ahead so he got up and went back to the yard. Finally, as the sun was slipping behind the mountain, Jethro put the last of the small limbs and branches and other things he'd cleaned up into the burn barrel. He was dog tired and needed a beer and a hot shower. He really needed more than that but he would have to wait on that. He briefly considered driving home but realized he was too tired to make the trip safely. He took a beer into the bathroom and finished it while the hot water pounded on his sore shoulders and back. Even though he was in great shape, he was not used to a full day of manual labor and he was feeling every bit of his age tonight.

Jethro went to bed with a slightly uneasy feeling in the back of his mind but he told himself he was being paranoid. Ziva was very capable of taking care of herself and she hadn't had anything but shopping and eating planned with Maureen anyway. Even if Maureen's ex showed up Ziva was more than capable of showing him the door. No, there was nothing wrong at home and he needed a good nights sleep.

When he woke up early on Sunday morning the uneasy feeling was still with him. Jethro had learned a long time ago to trust his gut and this morning his gut was telling him he needed to get home as soon as possible. Jethro stopped at the convenience store in the little town at the base of the mountain to get gas and use their phone. He called Ziva but got no answer. He thought that was strange because she was never out of touch. That was one of his rules. He called again but the phone rang six times then went to voice mail. He left a short message telling her he was on his way home. Ziva didn't get the message because the phone was in an evidence bag and she was in the hospital.

All the way to DC Jethro worried and cursed. Worried about Ziva and cursed not having his phone. As much as he detested most technology he had come to depend on his cell phone, not just for work but in his personal life as well. He couldn't understand why Ziva hadn't answered. He kept telling himself she was in the shower or out to breakfast or on a run. However he knew he had called her many times when she was in one of those places and she had always answered. Jethro told himself to stop borrowing trouble and pay attention to his driving.

Traffic was light this early on a Sunday and Jethro made it back to DC in record time. He went straight to Ziva's apartment building and when he saw her car in its regular spot he relaxed just a little bit. She was home and in a few minutes he'd see her and they would talk about what was wrong and at least start to fix it.

Jethro got out of his car and started toward the entrance but was waylaid by Tony DiNozzo. Gibbs' senior field agent stepped in front of his boss and blocked his way.

Seeing DiNozzo set off alarm bells in Jethro's head. "What are you doing here?"

"Just about to ask you the same thing."

"Not sure that's any of your business, DiNozzo."

Gibbs was irritated and started around Tony but the younger man quickly blocked his path. Tony subtly encroached on Gibbs' personal space edging him back toward his truck. Now he was not only irritated but worried as well; this was not like Tony.

"I'm making it my business. Answer the question."

Something in his tone of voice and the look in his eyes made Gibbs understand something was very wrong.

"I'm here to see Ziva. Now get out of my way."

"You sure you're not here to get your phone? Or is it your gun you're after?"

"Tony, I'm not in the mood so get the hell out of my way."

"Or maybe you're here to finish what you started Friday night." Tony spat those words at his boss with as much anger as he'd ever felt.

"I just told you I'm here to see Ziva."

Gibbs put his hands on Tony's chest and pushed him but Tony quickly countered by grabbing Gibbs' wrist and turning him around, twisting his arm roughly behind his back. He pushed him against the side of his truck and spoke into his ear.

"Unless you want me to cuff you right now you just stand here and answer my questions."

Gibbs didn't resist him. He knew now something had happened to Ziva and since Tony was asking about his gun he surmised she had been shot. With his gun. He felt sick to his stomach and all he wanted to do was find Ziva.

"Tony, what in the hell is going on?"

"You going to stand here and talk to me?"

"Yes, where is Ziva?"

"She's in the hospital. Shot. With your gun. Found your phone beside her bed. The jacket you wore on Friday in the bedroom. Your fingerprints all over the apartment. Now, you tell me where you were Saturday morning about one o'clock."

Jethro processed all that and found himself taking a lot of deep breaths. He bent over with his hands on his knees and tried to get himself together. Ziva was in the hospital. And apparently he was suspected of shooting her. He cursed himself for going off and leaving her. He should have stayed in town.

"Gibbs, where were you Saturday morning?"

"At my cabin in West Virginia. I drove up there Friday night."

"Why are your phone and your prints in Ziva's apartment?"

"I'm over here a lot so my prints would naturally be all over the apartment."

"I have lots of circumstantial evidence that points right at you so you need to be a bit more forthcoming with information."

"You in charge of this investigation are you, DiNozzo?"

"I am. Unless and until Metro PD takes over. The Director is discussing it with them as we speak. I suggest you start talking to me because they won't give a damn about you. Not sure I do at the moment."

The two men stood there in the parking lot staring at each other. They were both thinking about Ziva and worried about her. They both cared about her very much. Jethro was well aware of Tony's affection for his partner. Tony suspected his boss and his partner were involved to some extent but he hadn't been sure until now just how much.

This was most certainly not how Jethro wanted Tony to find out about him and Ziva. If there was any possible way to keep their secret a little while longer he would but he didn't think that was going to be possible. He had to answer Tony's questions or risk putting himself in some very deep trouble.

"My fingerprints are in Ziva's apartment because I'm there as much as I'm at my own house. Ziva and I are in a relationship, Tony. My phone was in my jacket pocket and I left the jacket there Friday night. I did not shoot Ziva. Why would I? I love her and I would NEVER hurt her."

"You did Friday. You made her cry."

"I hurt her feelings, Tony. We had an argument. I apologized. I sure as hell would never shoot her. What makes you think I shot her anyway? My prints and phone in the apartment?"

"Abby ran ballistics on the slug the docs took out of her. Came from your Sig. Where is your weapon?"

Tony just glared at him and Jethro was losing what little control he had on his emotions.

"Listen to me Tony, I was in West Virginia. I went there Friday night. I left one of my weapons in Ziva's kitchen last week. On the counter by the coffee maker. She was going to clean it and sight it. I did not shoot Ziva. Now, tell me where she is."

Tony shook his head. He wanted to believe his boss had not shot Ziva but there was evidence that pointed to Gibbs as the shooter. But what was his motive? And if he shot her why was she still alive? Gibbs would not have left someone alive if he wanted to kill them.

"Why haven't you asked Ziva who shot her? I guarantee it wasn't me."

"She's in a coma."

"Shit." Jethro almost lost it. He turned in circles and paced the length of the truck trying to get his emotions under control.

The two men looked at each other and neither knew what to say. Jethro was devastated by the news about Ziva and desperately wanted to be with her. Tony was almost equally upset about Ziva and he had never imagined himself accusing the man he thought of as a father of attempted murder.

Finally Jethro took a deep breath and realized he needed to take control of the situation. He knew he was repeating himself but Tony was obviously really upset about Ziva and Gibbs needed to make him process what he was telling him.

"Tony, I need you to listen to me. I. Did. Not. Shoot. Ziva. I would never hurt her. I love her. I have been at my cabin in West Virginia since Friday night. You know me, Tony. You know I couldn't do this. Please, I need to see Ziva."

Tony had long suspected Ziva and the Boss were an item. He wasn't unhappy about it; in fact if he was honest, he was glad they had finally realized what the rest of them had thought for a long time, they belonged together. In his gut he knew Gibbs had not tried to kill Ziva. If for no other reason than the fact that she was still alive.

Jethro stood very still in front of Tony and said a silent prayer that his most trusted agent would come to his senses and take him to see Ziva.

"You want to see the scene first?"

"No. You have it secured?"

"Yes. Metro called us as soon as they identified Ziva. Not sure we're going to keep the case though."

"Then I want to see Ziva."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Jethro and Ziva**

Chapter 3

The two men got in Tony's car.

"Tell me what you know, DiNozzo."

"Ziva's been in a coma ever since she got out of surgery. She lost a whole lot of blood and the docs said she was almost gone when they got her in the ER. One shot in the abdomen. They say she should wake up but they won't say when they think that will happen."

Jethro just looked out the window and tried to stay calm. His gut was churning and his heart was pounding with fear. He felt hollowed out and found he had to concentrate to keep his breathing steady. He couldn't believe this was happening or more precisely had already happened. In an effort to regain some control over his emotions he focused on the highway and started asking questions.

"Tell me about the scene and who found her."

"About three o'clock on Saturday morning a neighbor was taking his dog out and saw Ziva's door ajar. The puppy was pulling him down the hall pretty good I guess but when he came back he saw the door still open so he knocked and looked inside. Ziva was on the floor not far from the door. I figure she got it open then passed out before she could get out in the hall or call for help."

"What about her friend?"

"What friend?"

"Ziva's friend Maureen was supposed to spend the weekend with her. That's why she didn't go with me."

"There wasn't anyone else there. You think this friend shot Ziva?"

"More likely her ex-boyfriend."

"You know his name?"

"No, but Maureen worked as an ER nurse at Bethesda. Someone there might know."

"There was some sign of a struggle in the room but we figured that was Ziva and the shooter. What I can't figure is how anyone got the drop on Ziva and used your gun to shoot her. Doesn't make sense, you know."

"Last time I saw my gun it was on the kitchen counter. Maybe this guy went in there after Maureen and found it and then Ziva walked in on them and he just shot her. He must have taken Maureen with him. We need to find them and make sure she's okay."

"You know where she lives?"

"I think she had an apartment in Arlington. The hospital will know."

"I'll send McGee out there. He and Abby are at the hospital. Ducky too. They may not be happy to see you Boss. At first I mean. You know because of all the evidence and stuff."

"I'll handle it. Why aren't you at the hospital?"

"Waiting for you. It needed to be me who met you and not the Metro PD. Plus I figured you'd be here today. What else do you know about the friend or her boyfriend?"

"Ziva told me Maureen had recently ended a year long relationship and the man didn't take it very well. Maureen called her Friday morning and asked if she could spend the weekend with her. I think they were going shopping and maybe clear some of Maureen's stuff out of her apartment. We really need someone checking on her. Sooner rather than later."

Jethro felt like he had been talking to Tony for at least an hour but when he looked at his watch he saw it had only been about fifteen minutes ago that he pulled up in front of Ziva's apartment building. What the hell had happened Friday night? He couldn't imagine some random guy getting the drop on Ziva and shooting her in cold blood. He pictured her lying on the floor, bleeding to death, all alone. Jethro closed his eyes and willed that image away. He tried to picture Ziva in a happy time; with him, having fun. All he could think about was that they were not really in a good place when he left. He wanted to kick himself for fighting with her and giving her any reason, no matter how small, to question his love and commitment to her.

DiNozzo kept glancing over at his boss wondering what was going through his mind. He had been surprised when Gibbs didn't resist him earlier. Tony knew that was an extreme thing to do but at the time he felt like he needed to gain complete control of the situation or he would lose control to Gibbs and never get it back. This was HIS case and he wasn't going to let Gibbs run it especially now that he knew for sure he and Ziva were in a relationship. He wanted to get whoever had shot his partner and left her to die. He was well aware of what Gibbs had done to the last guy who killed a woman he loved. In fact when Tony thought of it he realized Gibbs had killed every person who had killed a woman he loved; Pedro Gonzalez, Ari Haswari and finally Svetlana. Wow, Tony thought, whoever shot Ziva better hope she survives or his days are definitely numbered.

The two men finally arrived at the hospital and Tony parked in the visitor lot. Jethro sat very still and Tony wondered if he was going to get out or not.

"Boss you okay?"

"Yeah. Just give me a minute."

Tony got out and waited. He was surprised Gibbs hadn't jumped out as soon as the car stopped. Jethro sat trying to gather his thoughts. He knew once he walked into that hospital room his relationship with Ziva would be common knowledge. At this point he didn't care much about that but he needed a moment to get ready for it. He wasn't worried about the rest of the team or Ducky thinking he had shot Ziva because that was so far from possible he didn't consider it a problem. After a couple of minutes he finally took a deep breath and got out of the car.

With his stomach in a knot Jethro accompanied Tony to the fifth floor where the ICU was located. Because Ziva was in a coma still just barely out of the woods from the gunshot wound she was still in intensive care. Visitors were limited but Jethro didn't intend to let that hinder him.

When they walked into the waiting room Jethro saw McGee sitting next to Abby and Ducky pacing around the nearly empty room.

"Duck, any news?"

"Well, Jethro where have you come from?"

"I've been at my cabin since Friday night. How is she?"

"Still in a coma."

Ducky looked from Jethro to Tony and Tony shook his head. Abby and McGee didn't say anything which was remarkable for Abby. Jethro looked at her but made no move toward her. He had decided on the ride up here that if any of them really thought he had harmed Ziva like this then they didn't really know him and he wasn't going to worry about what they thought. He and Abby were close of course and he expected her to trust him. He couldn't believe she thought he had done this terrible thing.

Before he could turn to go try and see Ziva, Abby went to him and caught his arm.

"Gibbs."

"I need to see Ziva, Abby."

"I know. I just wanted to give you a hug and say I know she's going to be okay now that you're here."

"Abs, you know I didn't do this right?"

"I know. I never truly believed you had. I think she's waiting for you, Gibbs. Go talk to her and get her to wake up."

"That's exactly what I intend to do."

Jethro went through the double doors into the ICU and straight to the nurse's station in the center of the room. The unit was arranged like a wheel with the nurse's station as the hub. All the rooms faced into the center and most of the double wide doors were open with a curtain drawn across the openings of a few. Jethro had been a patient in this very unit about two years ago. He didn't remember much about his days in here but he did remember waking up alone and scared. He didn't want Ziva to have the same experience. He intended to be there when she woke up no matter how long it took.

"Agent Gibbs? I'm been expecting you."

Jethro turned at the sound of his name and found himself looking at an attractive brunette with dark brown eyes and a friendly smile on her face.

"You don't remember me I'm sure but I took care of you when you were here, what has it been, two years ago now? You're looking much better than when I last saw you."

"I'm sorry I don't remember."

"That's alright. I'm Lisa and I imagine you are here to see Ms. David. We have you listed as her emergency contact but we have been unable to reach you."

"I've been out of town. Didn't have my phone with me. How's she doing?"

"Well, all her vital signs are stable and improving but she's still in a coma. Come on, she's in seven. Your old room as a matter of fact."

Jethro followed Lisa to room seven and into the darkened area. He quickly surveyed all the electronics and tubes connected to Ziva as he made his way to stand near the head of the bed. He lowered the side rail and took her right hand in his as he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. She looked so small and vulnerable it broke his heart. And, she was so very still. He had never seen her so still, even when she was asleep there was a certain energy about her. He began talking to her in a quiet voice.

"Hey, Ziver, I'm here. I love you. I'm so sorry I wasn't here sooner. You need to wake up Zi. Everyone is worried about you and I need to you come back to me."

Somewhere deep inside her psyche Ziva heard the voice she had been waiting for.

_There he is, there's the voice I'm been waiting to hear. Oh, Jethro, thank you for coming. I love you and I want to be with you. Don't leave me._

Jethro let go of her hand just long enough to pull a chair over then he sat down and took her hand again. He sat as close as he could and raised her hand to his lips kissing each knuckle as he gently stroked her hair with his free hand.

_Oh your lips feels exquisite on my hand, Jethro. I'll be back with you soon. _

"Ziva, I know you can hear me. I'm not leaving until you wake up. We have a lot to talk about and I need you to tell me what happened. We need to find Maureen. I know you're tired Zi, but try to wake up and let me see you looking at me. I love you and want you to come back to us."

Jethro stayed by the bedside for the better part of an hour but there was no response from Ziva. He talked to her, held her hand and gently ran his fingers up and down her arm. It was a lot different being the person waiting; he was used to being the one in the bed, not the one sitting and hoping for someone to wake up.

Nurses came and went and each time they smiled and said things were unchanged. Jethro knew enough about the machines connected to Ziva to know she was stable. He also knew she needed lots of time to heal but right now he wanted her to wake up so she could tell them what had happened. When he'd been there almost an hour, Tony appeared and Jethro stepped out to talk to him.

"McGee talked to some people at Bethesda and got Ms. Reilly's information. He went to her apartment and no one's there. Looks like she's pretty well packed up and ready to leave. Couple of people gave us a possible name for the boyfriend and McGee is tracking that down. How's Ziva?"

"The same. You've already talked to people at Ziva's place?

"Yesterday. No one saw anything. The hospital gave us the info on the friend's car and we have a BOLO out on it. I thought it would be at Ziva's but it's not there. You think maybe she left and this boyfriend showed up and got into it with Ziva?"

"No. There's no way she lets him in first and second no way he gets my gun from the kitchen before Ziva has her own weapon out. No, Maureen had to be there and let him in. We need to find her. And him."

"Workin' on it."

"Abby still here?"

"Yeah."

Jethro walked to the waiting room and sat down next to Abby.

"Abs, is there anything you can think of to do that might help us figure out what happened?"

Abby was silent for a long moment. She had already been over what evidence they had and found nothing except what pointed to Gibbs.

"Maybe if I could go to the apartment and get some more samples of trace I could run them again and try to identify the shooter. I'll go over everything again even though I've already gone over it like, three times. There has to be something there. Or maybe in the friend's phone records. Or her computer. I'll look again, Gibbs. I know Ziva will be alright."

"Yeah she will. Thanks Abs. Call me as soon as you have something. Or call Tony first and then call me here because I don't have a phone. Okay?"

"You got it."

Abby gave him a crushing hug and then hurried down the hall to the elevators. Jethro kept his seat and ran his hands over his face. He was so frustrated he didn't know what to do. He wanted to be out there working the case but he wanted to be with Ziva too. He knew he needed to trust DiNozzo and the rest of his team to get the job done.

"Boss, we'll get something today. Go back in there and wait with Ziva. I'll call you as soon as we get a break."

"Thanks Tony. Get to work."

Gibbs went back to Ziva's bedside prepared to wait as long as it took for Ziva to wake up. He held her hand and talked quietly to her about anything and everything he could think of. While he was doing that he was also thinking of how he was going to convince her to stick with him while he figured out how to love her properly. He wanted to love Ziva as she deserved to be loved but he wasn't at all sure he had the capacity to do that. He wanted to be the kind of man that lived up to her expectations but again, he wasn't sure he could do that either.

After almost two hours, Jethro went into the hall in search of coffee. While he was waiting for the elevator to go to the cafeteria a police officer in uniform and another man in plain clothes approached him.

"Agent Gibbs?"

Jethro turned around and replied, "Yes."

He did not recognize the young detective. He knew several of the detectives on the Metro PD and had worked with many of them over the years. This was someone new. He looked like he hadn't had the gold shield long. Jethro thought he seemed a bit aggressive and maybe a bit anxious to be the big, bad detective.

The man in the suit held out his badge and said, "Detective Morgan, Metro PD. I need you to come with me."

"Why?"

"For questioning in the attempted murder of Ziva David."

The uniformed officer drew closer, edging around behind Gibbs.

"I was told NCIS was investigating the shooting. It's their jurisdiction since Ms. David is an NCIS Agent."

"True but considering you are the prime suspect that presents your agency with a conflict of interest. Your director has agreed to allow us to handle the investigation going forward. Out of respect I will allow you to come with us voluntarily. Or, this officer can cuff you and perp walk you out of here. Your choice."

Gibbs was furious but somehow managed to contain that emotion. He desperately wanted to stay with Ziva. He didn't want her to wake up alone.

"Can we talk here? I want to be here when she wakes up."

"Or are you waiting for an opportunity to finish what you started? Let's go."

"I didn't start anything! You don't have any evidence that I did this shooting. You can ask your questions here."

"Look Agent Gibbs, I know you're used to being in charge but in this case you are not. I'm in charge and I don't interview suspects in hospital hallways. Now, are you coming or shall I have Officer Patterson assist you?"

Gibbs knew he was fighting a losing battle so he agreed to go with Detective Morgan. They got in the elevator and since they were alone Detective Morgan read him his rights. Gibbs said nothing. He followed the officer to the car and sat silently on the way to the station. He was furious that his Director had not had the courtesy, or the guts, to call him and let him know what was about to happen. He wondered if he should call an attorney. He knew he was innocent and that all the so-called evidence Morgan had was purely circumstantial but sometimes that didn't matter. He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible and get back to the hospital. He decided to forego the attorney for now and try to make Morgan see he was not their man. He said a silent prayer that Tony and McGee had found Maureen or the boyfriend because if they had she could clear up all the questions about what happened that night.

When they got to the police station Gibbs was taken to an interrogation room and left alone for about twenty minutes. By the time Detective Morgan came back Gibbs was fuming. He knew exactly what Morgan was doing so he somehow managed to keep his anger under control and didn't say a word until Morgan began questioning him.

"Tell me where you were early Saturday morning say between midnight and three am."

"At my cabin in West Virginia. It's about a three hour drive from here. I got there Friday night before ten o'clock and left Sunday morning about seven."

Gibbs knew he was breaking the first rule of being interrogated; only answer the questions asked, don't give any additional information. He didn't care though because he knew he was innocent and he wanted this over as quickly as possible.

"Anyone verify that?"

"No. My neighbors probably heard my chainsaw going all day Saturday. That's if they were home. You can verify I was at the convenience store in town Sunday morning for gas and coffee."

"What's your relationship with Ms. David?"

"She works for me."

"Anything else?"

"We're in a personal relationship outside work."

"Tell me about the last time you saw her."

Gibbs took a deep breath and began. "I went by her apartment Friday on my way out of town. I was there for maybe twenty or thirty minutes at the most. I left. She had a friend coming over for the weekend. You need to find that friend. I think she may be in danger."

"Who is this friend?"

"Haven't you talked to Agent DiNozzo yet?"

"Agent Gibbs, just answer the question."

"Look Detective, I want to be as helpful as possible in this case. I am not your shooter. Ziva had a friend spending the weekend with her. The friend's name is Maureen Reilly. She's a nurse at Bethesda. She and her boyfriend had a bad break up recently and she was spending the weekend with Ziva so they could do whatever women do in those circumstances. Anyway, Ziva told me this guy didn't take the break up very well. I don't know his name or anything else about him. Agents DiNozzo and McGee were trying to find Ms. Reilly this morning. You need to get in touch with them."

"Let's get back to you for a minute. We found your prints and phone at Ms. David's apartment. Why?"

"My phone was in my jacket which I left at the apartment Friday night. I didn't miss it until I got to my cabin and was going to call Ziva. My prints are all over the apartment because I'm there a lot. I have a toothbrush there, clothes, that sort of things. I didn't shoot Ziva. I have no reason to do that."

"So you think this boyfriend of the friend somehow got the drop on a Federal Agent and shot her?"

"I have trouble believing it but yeah, that must be what happened. I don't see some random person doing this. And if it was random where is Ms. Reilly? Had to be her ex."

"You and Ms. David have a fight recently?"

"We had a disagreement at work Friday. Nothing serious. We argued. That's all. I did not do this. What would be my motive? And why would I leave her alive if I wanted to kill her?"

"You hit her?"

Furious now, Jethro responded, "Of course not!"

"How do you explain the bruises on her arm?"

"I grabbed her arm during our argument. I never hit Ziva or any other woman for that matter!"

Detective Morgan was fairly new in his position but he had a good track record as an investigator. He knew who Gibbs was and he doubted he would be so sloppy as to shoot someone and not make sure they were dead. Or use his own weapon when ballistics could easily be traced to it. The man was a trained sniper after all. That being said, it was his gun that fired the bullet into Ms. David and his prints, phone and clothes in the apartment. He had no verifiable alibi. He might not be the shooter but young Detective Morgan was going to make him sweat anyway. Mostly because he could. Morgan had not yet learned the finer points of being a police detective and this was his first really important case. He was going to do things by the book and then some.

"Detective, I need to get back to the hospital. Unless you're going to arrest me I'm leaving."

"You and I both know I don't have to arrest you to hold you for a while, Agent Gibbs. I need you to write out everything you did from the time you left your office Friday until you came back to DC this morning. Include contact information on anyone who can verify your whereabouts while you were gone. Once we check all that out and/or find this mystery friend and her boyfriend we'll see about you leaving. Until then I'm holding you as a suspect in the attempted murder of Agent David."

"Are you serious? You have nothing to hold me on!"

Detective Morgan just looked at him and shrugged a shoulder. He shoved a tablet and pen across the table. "You know I can keep you for twenty-four hours without an arrest. I suggest you get busy on that statement. The sooner we can check out your alibi the sooner you can leave."

Gibbs was so angry he was about to explode all over the cocky young detective. Instead he took some deep breaths and said, "At least let me give you what I know about Maureen now so you can check on her. If the boyfriend is the shooter she is in danger. You want that on your record, Detective Morgan?"

Morgan didn't appreciate Gibbs' tone or his good point but he was smart enough to know he was right.

"Okay, tell me what you know."

Gibbs thought back to everything Ziva had told him about Maureen and her boyfriend. He closed his eyes and concentrated for a few moments.

"Boyfriend's name is Bob, don't know the last name. Ziva said Maureen had called the police on him about two weeks ago because he was at her apartment harassing her. She lived in Arlington, I'm pretty sure. Call Agent DiNozzo and he can give you her address and fill you in what he had found out about her and the boyfriend."

"Okay that helps. I'll have someone look for the report. Hopefully an officer responded and actually took a report."

Detective Morgan left Gibbs in the interrogation room seething. Gibbs paced around the room for a few minutes and then sat down to write out his statement. He would have done the same thing in the detective's place but it still galled him to be stuck here. He wrote as much detail as he possibly could about his actions Friday and Saturday but he knew there was really no one who could corroborate his story. He saw no one and spoke to no one all day Saturday. He slammed his fist down on the table in frustration.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Feeling generous so here's the second chapter of the night. Enjoy. Thanks for the follows and reviews and favorites.

**Jethro and Ziva**

Chapter 4

While Gibbs was being interrogated at the police station, Ziva was alone in the ICU. Gibbs' team thought he was with her and the nurses didn't know where he'd gone when he left for coffee. After two hours, Lisa, the nurse who had cared for Gibbs, called DiNozzo and told him what the situation was at the hospital. Normally she would not have done this but she had nursed Jethro through a very difficult time two years ago and had been impressed by his actions with Ziva. Plus, someone had been with Ziva ever since she came to the unit so she knew they would want to know she was alone. Tony knew the Director had turned the case over to Metro PD but he hadn't expected Detective Morgan to haul Gibbs down to the station after he had talked to him and explained what Gibbs had told him. Tony realized now that the detective was just humoring him and had planned all along to take Gibbs in for the shooting. Now Tony was furious and frustrated as well.

He and McGee had made very little progress in finding Maureen Reilly. They called everyone the hospital suggested might know something but so far no one actually knew the boyfriend's last name. They were on their way back to NCIS when Maureen's cousin finally returned their call from two hours ago.

"Agent DiNozzo, this is Paul Reilly returning your call."

"Mr. Reilly, I'm trying to locate your cousin Maureen in connection with a shooting of a friend of hers. Have you spoken to her in the last couple of days?"

"Not since Friday. She told me she was going to spend the weekend with a friend. What is this all about?"

"Her friend was shot early Saturday morning and we are concerned about your cousin. Do you know her ex-boyfriend's name?"

"Yeah, it's Bob Talbot. Is he involved in this?"

"We don't know for sure. We're looking for them both. Do you happen to know his address or where he works?"

"No but I know he had an apartment in Alexandria. He was working at a car dealership there. A Ford dealer I think. He's a bad dude. Got caught up in some drug problems after a bad wreck about six months ago."

"Can you describe him?"

"Never seen him. I know he's thirty-four but that's about it. I can ask around the family and see if anyone has anything more on him."

"You do that. We should be able to track him down but anything else you learn give me a call. Thanks for your help."

Tony and McGee arrived at the Navy Yard as the phone call ended. Tony wrote down what the cousin had told him and handed it to McGee.

"See if you can track down this dirt bag. I'm going to talk to Vance."

"You sure you should do that?"

"No but I'm going to anyway."

"Tony, he didn't have a choice. Let it go for now. Gibbs can fight his own battles. Why don't you go tell Ducky what's going on and maybe he can go sit with Ziva while we find this guy and settle it once and for all."

Tony considered what Tim was saying and had to agree he was right.

"Okay. But don't let this go to your head."

"Never."

By the time Tony got back from talking to Ducky, McGee had found an address for Bob Talbot.

"I've got it. An apartment in DC. Come on."

"Good work, McQuickly. Ducky is on his way to the hospital."

Ziva had been inching toward being awake while Jethro was talking to her and when he left to get coffee she was on the verge of consciousness. Of course she didn't know that but his voice and touch had been serving its purpose and the cobwebs had been clearing from her mind. When he didn't return she slipped back to where she'd been before he got there that morning.

_Where did you go Jethro? Coffee I bet but why haven't you come back? Don't give up on us. I know we can make it baby, just please come back._

But he didn't come back that hour or the next or the next several after that. Ziva's vital signs remained stable but the nurses sensed she had regressed since Agent Gibbs left. They couldn't imagine what was keeping him away.

When Gibbs didn't return the nurses began talking to Ziva in hopes that any friendly voice would encourage her to fight her way back. Ziva heard them talking to her, telling her she was getting better and pleading with her to wake up but she was so confused about where Jethro was that she wasn't making the effort needed. She began to dream about them; her mind taking her back to the beginning of them being together.

_About two or three months after their encounter in the basement, Ziva stopped Jethro in the parking lot as they were leaving work. _

"_Would you like to come for dinner, Gibbs?"_

_Jethro was surprised at the invitation because they had not shared a private word between them since that night in his basement. He had relegated that night to the part of his brain that didn't examine things very closely for fear of what he might see. He thought about it only rarely and when he did he chastised himself for allowing his emotions to get the better of him. _

_When he didn't answer for a long few moments Ziva let the little spark of anger she carried toward him ignite._

"_Can you not even give me the courtesy of a simple yes or no?"_

_With his patented smirk in place he replied, "there is no such thing as simple where you and I are concerned, Ziva."_

_She couldn't help but smile at that. She found it impossible to stay angry with him for any length of time. That, she knew was dangerous but she couldn't seem to help herself where Jethro Gibbs was concerned. _

"_Still, can you answer me please?"_

"_Yes, I would like to come for dinner. Tonight?"_

"_Yes. Just come along whenever you are ready. But do not be too long; I am hungry."_

"_See you in an hour then?"_

"_That will be fine."_

_When Gibbs showed up at the apartment he had a bouquet of yellow daisies in his hand and a nervous knot in his stomach. He wondered what Ziva had in mind when she asked him to dinner. Part of him hoped she wanted to pick up where they had left off that night in his basement. The other part of him wanted her to tell him it had been a mistake and she just wanted to be sure he understood that. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. _

_Ziva was not at all nervous about Jethro coming for dinner. She knew what she wanted and made up her mind she was going to do her best to get it; or him to be more precise. If, as she suspected, Jethro was going to be reluctant to admit he wanted her too, well she'd just have to be persuasive. She had heard the old saying that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach and if that was true this dinner would be her first, or technically second, attempt to get to Jethro's heart. _

_She was surprised by the flowers and even more surprised by his greeting; a quick kiss to her cheek. He had stopped at home obviously as he was now wearing what she recognized as a favorite pair of old jeans and a Marines tee shirt. He had traded the boots he normally wore to work for sneakers. Ziva was delighted because she really liked the way he looked in those jeans. _

"_Thank you for the flowers. You did not have to do that."_

"_I know but I seem to remember that when a woman invites you to dinner you should not show up empty handed."_

"_Is that one of your rules?"_

"_No, something my mom told me a very long time ago."_

_Ziva didn't fail to notice the wistful look in his eyes when he mentioned his mother. She knew Mrs. Gibbs had died when Jethro was a teenager so she was a bit surprised she had given him that advice._

_Jethro must have, as usual, read her thoughts because he said, "She gave a few pointers along those lines. We spent a long time talking some days. I guess she knew my dad wouldn't be much help when it came to dating and how to treat a woman."_

"_Your father is very much a gentleman. I am sure he knows how to treat a lady."_

"_Yes he does. But he didn't pass that along to me."_

"_And yet. . . "_

"_Let's change the subject."_

_They both laughed and the knot in Jethro's stomach seemed to loosen a bit. Ziva led him into the kitchen and offered him something to drink._

"_Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes. Would you like a beer or wine or something else."_

"_What are you having?"_

"_Wine."_

"_I'll join you then."_

_They shared a bottle of wine and a very delicious meal. The conversation was easy, the way it can be with friends who are at ease with each other and trust each other. Both Ziva and Jethro knew the evening was not just about dinner but they were not in a hurry to "get down to business" so to speak. Ziva wanted to enjoy the meal and used her time to gauge Jethro's level of comfort. He seemed very relaxed to her and she began to feel good about her decision to move forward this evening._

_Jethro was relaxed and even though he suspected what Ziva had on her mind he too was perfectly content to let the evening play out slowly. He was prepared to say "no" to Ziva and although he was not eager to get to that moment he knew it was inevitable and he knew what his response had to be. They took their tea to the living room and Ziva settled on the couch while Jethro took a seat in the armchair across from her. _

"_You surprise me Gibbs. I would not have thought of you as a tea drinker."_

"_I have to have some secrets, Ziva, even from you."_

_The conversation seemed to come to an end and Ziva looked at him sitting there so relaxed and quiet. He was one of the most handsome men she had ever known. Of course his eyes were her favorite but she was very fond his whole face and especially liked his hands. They were big hands, long fingers and strong. She clearly remembered the feel of them in her hair when they kissed in his basement. She wanted to feel that again and soon. _

_When Ziva didn't say anything for a long time, Jethro decided to get the show on the road. _

"_Why am I here Ziver?"_

_It was a question she had been expecting but she hadn't expected it to be asked in such a soft, quiet voice. Jethro had set his tea down on the coffee table and was leaning forward, forearms on his knees looking at her intently. His face was unreadable and his eyes did not betray the desire lurking in his soul. It had taken a lot of willpower for him to sit in the chair instead of on the couch with Ziva and it was taking almost as much for him to stay there. _

"_For dinner."_

"_I don't think so. You want to talk. Am I right?"_

"_Yes."_

_Again, Ziva could not take the next step in the conversation. This was a lot harder than she had expected it to be. Regardless of what she had been telling herself, letting Gibbs know how she felt was not going to be easy. _

"_Ziver, just say it. What is it you want?"_

_Well, that was easy. Finally a question she could answer with one word. She locked her gaze with his and finally found the courage she had been lacking all night._

"_You. I want you, Jethro."_

_The silence in the room was deafening. Even though he had suspected something along these lines it was still a surprise. A surprise that this beautiful, sensual, dangerous, young woman wanted him. Jethro wanted to believe it and accept it but his experience just didn't allow him to do that. _

"_Ziver . . ."_

"_No, let me say it all. What happened between us that night in your basement was not a mistake. I know it and so do you. You and I have a connection that cannot be ignored any longer. At least not by me. I know you will resist this, Jethro, but I am asking you to give us a chance. No one knows the loss and sadness you have suffered better than I do. I do not care about our age difference or your divorces or any other convenient excuse you come up with to tell me no."_

"_I just have one. You work for me, Ziva. This is not a good idea. It will cause problems and it could be dangerous. I know you know that. Jenny and I are a perfect example of that."_

"_Then I will leave your team."_

"_No, you won't. Ziver you know me, I'm not good relationship material. I'm a bastard on a good day. You can do so much better. I want so much more for you."_

_They sat there, separated by a coffee table and looked at each other for a long few minutes. Finally Ziva closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. When she opened her eyes, Jethro was still watching her. _

"_Will you answer me honestly if I ask you a tough question?"_

"_Always tell you the truth Ziver."_

_Ziva sat forward on the couch and mimicked Gibbs' position. _

"_Do you want to be with me, Jethro?"_

_She saw the flicker of desire that sparked in his eyes. She saw the slight twitch of his mouth. _

"_That's not a tough question."_

"_Then quit stalling and answer me. Do you want to be with me? Do you want to kiss me and hold me and touch me like you once did?"_

_Jethro sighed heavily, he was beaten and he knew it. In an effort to put some distance between them he stood up and walked to the window and finally answered her._

"_Yes, god help me I do." _

_The beautiful smile that blossomed across her face was almost enough to make Jethro forget his trepidation about a relationship with her. Almost._

_He started to speak again but somehow she had managed to already be at his side. When he opened his mouth to begin his protest she silenced him with two fingers on his lips. And that small bit of contact felt so good._

"_Before you begin telling me why this will not work, answer me another question. Will you let me love you, Jethro?"_

_Her fingers were still there, touching his lips. Caressing, suggesting. He didn't dare move for fear she would take them away._

"_I already do you know. Love you. But if you cannot accept my love I will not force it on you. Will you let me comfort you and push you and take care of you? That is what I want. And if you want me to be happy then you must give us a chance."_

_She saw his eyes darken and the corners of his mouth twitch. Jethro reached up and gently grasped her wrist. He pursed his lips and kissed the fingers that had kept him silent. Then he kissed her palm and the pulse at her wrist. He worked his way slowly up her arm until he reached her shoulder. Then he let go of her wrist and took her face in those big strong hands she liked so much. He touched his thumbs to her lips before he leaned in and kissed her. It was just a quick peck really but then he did it again and again until finally he settled into a kiss that took her breath away. _

_When he finally let her up for air he pulled her against his chest and just held her there. Neither of them spoke for a long time as they contemplated what they were doing. Ziva had no doubt this would be a challenging relationship but she couldn't have cared less. She was in love and she intended to do whatever necessary to have the man she loved._

_Jethro on the other hand was not so sure. He knew he cared for Ziva in a way that was not about being her boss. He did want her to be happy. Was he capable of being the man that she found her happiness with? He didn't think so. But, he trusted her and oh lord, he wanted her! Maybe they could find some measure of happiness together for a while and then, when she came to her senses and realized he was wrong for her, he could let her go. Yes, that could work, he told himself. _

_Ziva leaned into him and Jethro her welcomed her deeper into his embrace. They didn't talk. They simply held each other. Occasionally Jethro dropped a kiss onto the top of her head and she let her fingers move against him, letting him know she was still awake and aware of his movements. Ziva could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. She knew he was doing too much thinking. She wanted him to just let go and FEEL them together; not think about all that could go wrong or cause problems. _

"_Jethro?"_

"_Hmmm."_

"_Stop thinking."_

_She felt his laugh rumble up through his chest. His hands started moving; touching her, arousing her. She looked up at his face, so handsome and so guarded most of the time but not at this moment. He was smiling at her, his eyes telling her what his words could not. She touched her fingertips to his lips then stepped back and reached for his hand. _

"_Come make love with me Jethro."_

_Without a word he took hand and followed her to the bedroom. _

_TBC_


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry this is so late tonight! I got busy with stuff and forgot I promised some of you this would be up this evening. To make up I will post chapter 6 too. Happy Friday!

**Jethro and Ziva**

_Chapter 5_

Gibbs was pacing back and forth in the interrogation room. His patience was long since gone and his agitation level was rising with every step he took from one side of the small room to the other. Why hadn't he heard from DiNozzo? Where the hell had Morgan gone? What was happening with Ziva? That last question was the one that haunted him the most. As much as he wanted her to wake up he wanted to be there when she did. He wanted to be the first person she saw and he wanted his 'I love you' to be the first words she heard.

While Jethro was pacing and slowly coming undone and Ziva was dreaming sweet dreams, Tony and McGee were parked outside Bob Talbot's apartment building. Maureen Reilly's car was in the parking lot next to the broken down Toyota that was registered to Talbot.

"Must have gotten a ride to Ziva's and then taken Maureen's car back here."

"Tony, are you sure this is the Maureen person who was at Ziva's? I mean this place is a dump. I thought you said Maureen was a nurse. What's she doing with this guy?"

"I don't know. Maybe that wreck and the drugs really messed him up. Anyway, Boss said she was supposed to be there Friday night. We need to go up there and make sure she's okay. Talk to her away from Talbot if we can."

"If he's threatening her she might not talk to us."

"We'll figure it out as we go. Just stay alert and if we have to take him down we can always apologize later if he's in the clear. Which he's not."

"Okay, let's get to it."

Tony and Tim approached the second floor apartment and Tim knocked on the door.

"Yeah who is it?"

"Federal agents Mr. Talbot. Need to talk to you. Open the door."

A man opened the door and stepped outside. Tony motioned him away from the door and stepped behind him. He nodded at McGee to go ahead.

"Mr. Talbot, I'm Agent McGee and that is Agent DiNozzo. We would like to speak to Maureen Reilly."

"Who?"

Tony spoke up and Mr. Talbot pivoted to look at him.

"Your ex-girlfriend. The woman whose car is parked next to your junker down there. I'm really not in a mood to dick around with you Talbot so either you cooperate or you go with us in cuffs."

"You got a warrant? You can't go in my house without a warrant."

This time it was McGee who spoke and Talbot turned back around to face him.

"Tony, why don't you knock and see if Ms. Reilly is in there."

"Good idea McGee. Tell you what Mr. Talbot, put your hands behind your back. McGee cuff him and keep him out here. For your own safety of course, Mr. Talbot. You know in case someone is in there hurting Ms. Reilly."

McGee cuffed Talbot and told him to sit down with his back to the wall of the apartment. Tony knocked on the door.

"Maureen Reilly, Federal agents are you alight?"

There was no answer right away so Tony tried again.

"Ms. Reilly, I know you're in there. Your car is here. I'm a friend of Ziva and I'm sure you want to help her. Mr. Talbot is in cuffs and he can't hurt you."

Maureen came slowly out of the bedroom a the back of the small apartment and opened the door. She had a bruise on her cheek and a split lip.

"Ms. Reilly, I'm Agent DiNozzo. I work with Ziva. Are you okay?"

Maureen began to shake and tears streamed down her face. Tony caught her just before she collapsed on the floor.

"Is Ziva dead?"

"No, she's in the hospital. Can you tell me what happened?"

"Where is Bob?"

"My partner has him outside. Like I said, he's in cuffs. He can't hurt you."

"He shot Ziva and forced me to leave with him."

That was all Tony needed to hear. He helped Maureen to a chair in the living room and went outside. Talbot was slumped down against the wall. Obviously he knew he was caught. Tony reached down, grabbed him by the front of his shirt and jerked him to his feet.

"You are under arrest for the attempted murder of a Federal Agent."

Tony read him his rights while McGee got on the phone to Metro PD. While they waited for the cops to arrive and take Talbot into custody, McGee called Ducky to check on Ziva. He relayed the information to Tony and Maureen.

"She's still in a coma but they think maybe she's trying to wake up."

"She just needs Gibbs there. Once she hears his voice she'll snap to."

Tony called Ducky back and suggested he go to the police station and get Gibbs.

"I'm sure by the time you get there I will have convinced Detective Morgan to let him go. We have an eyewitness and I'm betting we'll find Gibbs' gun in the apartment. Gibbs will need a ride to the hospital."

"I'm on my way, Tony. Good work."

Tony and McGee waited at the apartment until the Metro PD officers arrived. Detective Morgan arrived right behind the uniforms and Tony told him what they had learned. Morgan spoke to Maureen Reilly then called the station to tell his boss what was happening. After that call he joined Tony and McGee who were waiting by their car.

"Your boss is free to go. I appreciate your help on this."

"No problem. You ever get a case that involves us again, I suggest you turn it over to someone else."

"Yeah, why's that Agent DiNozzo?"

"Agent Gibbs has a very long memory."

With that McGee got behind the wheel and Tony got in the passenger seat and they headed to the hospital. They had some paperwork to do but figured it could wait until they saw Ziva and Gibbs.

Ducky found Jethro waiting outside the station. He was in the car almost before Ducky came to a complete stop.

"How is she Duck?"

"About the same. Maybe a bit better. When I left they were taking her for some tests. We have time for a bite to eat. I imagine you're hungry."

"I want to be there when she wakes up. I can eat later."

"Jethro, even if you were there now you couldn't be with her. Let's at least have a sandwich. You need to calm down and gather yourself before you see her."

"I'll calm down when I know Ziva's okay. I'm fine Duck."

Ducky ignored him and pulled into the drive-thru of a Wendys. Jethro just sighed knowing he was at his friend's mercy for a little while anyway.

"Okay. I could eat a burger and fries and a coffee. Thanks Duck."

As they drove off, Jethro was devouring his burger while Ducky just smiled. Not hungry indeed.

"Jethro can you tell me what's been bothering you for the last several weeks?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the way you have been acting for at least the past two months. You and Ziva too for that matter. You especially are distracted much of the time and less engaged with the team than usual. You are quick to lose your temper many days and you have been working more late nights than are necessary. What's going on with you two?"

"Us two?" Jethro's attempt to play dumb wasn't going to work with Ducky.

"Do you think me daft, Jethro? Yes, you two. You and Ziva. What has happened? When you got into a relationship with our Ziva you became a much nicer fellow but lately that has not been the case. Is there something the matter between the two of you?"

Jethro just looked at his most trusted friend and shook his head. When Ducky glanced over at him the look on Jethro's face almost made him laugh out loud. He had not seen his friend so shocked in a very long time.

"Yes, to answer your question I know about you and Ziva. You forget Jethro, that I have known you for a good long time. I remember times when you were happy in your personal life. I know what that looks like and I saw it, what almost a year ago when you and Ziva became lovers."

"Anyone else know?"

"I don't know. They haven't heard it from me but they are investigators after all. I imagine Tony suspects. Abby undoubtedly does. Tim I don't think would have the temerity to even think about your personal life."

Jethro didn't say anything. He looked out the window at the traffic and the fading afternoon. His world seemed to be falling apart before his eyes. The woman he loved was in a coma, his personal life was about to become an open book and he didn't even know if Ziva still wanted to be with him.

"Jethro, can I help you?"

"I don't know Duck. I really don't know."

"Why don't you tell me what's troubling you."

"The thing is I love Ziva but I don't know how to make it last. I find myself shutting her out even when I don't mean to. I keep thinking any day now she'll find someone better; a younger man without all the failures and baggage I have. I don't trust myself to love her enough."

"You don't give Ziva much credit do you?"

"Whadda ya mean?"

"You don't think she knows her own heart? You don't think she knew exactly who you were when she started with you? Of course she did! She has known you better than the rest of us since before she even came to America. She is one of the brightest young women I have ever met. And one of the most courageous. You know that. Ziva would not have entered into a relationship with you Jethro, unless she was absolutely sure about what she was doing. She doesn't do anything without thinking it through, studying it from every angle and finding any weakness in her plan. No, I'd say she is very sure of what she's doing when it comes to you."

"I wish I was as sure as you say she is. I certainly didn't study this thing or think it through. I just fell in and sometimes I feel like I've been drowning ever since we started."

"I disagree my friend. You studied Ziva for a long time before you let yourself take the plunge. You have been watching her and longing for her since Jenny died. Maybe even before that. If you feel you are drowning Jethro I suggest you simply reach out and let Ziva pull you safely to shore. She is strong enough for both of you at least until you come to your senses and realize she truly is the one person who can save you."

"I keep screwing it up, Duck."

"To keep with your drowning analogy, that is because you continue to struggle and flail about. You need to relax and let Ziva do what she's been trying to do for so long now; let her rescue you."

"You make it sound simple but it's not."

"No, it isn't simple. It requires you to trust another person with your heart and soul. I know you trust Ziva with your life. Now you must let her have your heart as well. I am willing to bet all I have that she will not betray your trust as has happened to you in the past. Jethro, you must let your courage in this matter match the courage you have always displayed in the field. You must be fearless in loving Ziva just as she is in loving you."

Jethro didn't reply. He didn't know what to say and he needed to think about what Ducky had said. He hadn't done much thinking about what Ziva had said before he left. What was he willing to do to keep Ziva in his life? It was easy to say he'd do anything but when it came to specifics that got a bit more challenging. Let everyone know they were together? Well, that was pretty much a done deal now whether he wanted it to be or not. So, that hurdle at least was cleared. Trust her enough to tell her what he feared; her leaving him for someone else down the road? He hated the idea of telling her that because it exposed his fear which translated to weakness in his book. Hadn't Ziva already seen him at his lowest? Hadn't she been the one who pulled him back after his own coma? Yes, she had seen him weak and vulnerable already and it didn't seem to matter to her. She still loved him. She still chose him!

Maybe Ducky was right. Maybe he was being a coward where Ziva was concerned. He feared failure; always had as far back as he could remember. He was afraid he would fail Ziva and that fear was keeping him from letting go and trusting her love for him.

They finally arrived at the hospital and Ducky dropped Jethro off at the entrance. Before Jethro could get out of the car, Ducky laid a hand on his arm. Jethro turned to face the man who had been like a father to him for years.

"Jethro, don't over think this. Just go with your feelings. Trust your gut."

Jethro smiled. That was exactly what he intended to do.

"You know Duck, Ziva said something like that to me the first night we. . . well when we first got together. She told me to stop thinking. That's just what I'm going to do. Thanks Duck."

When Jethro got back to the ICU, they were just getting Ziva settled back in her cubicle. Lisa saw him come in and went to talk to him.

"We've been wondering where you were. Is everything alright, Agent Gibbs?"

"With me yes. How is Ziva?"

"She continues to be stable. She seems to be healing well from the surgery. Her coma is not as deep now as it was yesterday. I think if you can spend some time talking to her, stimulating her, it will do a world of good."

"I'll be here as long as it takes. Not going to leave her until she wakes up and kicks me out."

Lisa smiled and gave him a pat on the arm. "Go on in and get busy then."

Jethro stood by the bed and waited until the nurses had finished all their checks and left them. He leaned down and kissed Ziva on the cheek and ran his hand over her hair.

"I'm back Ziver. I love you and I want you to wake up. Everything is okay now. Tony and McGee caught the guy who shot you. Maureen is okay. It's time for you to come back to me."

Jethro sat down and talked to Ziva non-stop while he stroked his fingers up and down her arm, over her face and through her hair. He kept encouraging her, telling her how much he loved her and needed her to wake up. Sometimes he thought he felt her fingers move in his hand but she refused to wake up. Jethro closed his eyes and tried to relax. He let his mind drift and soon he was dreaming about that night in Ziva's apartment when she told him she loved him the first time. That was also the night she told him to stop thinking.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Here's the bonus for being late tonight. It's kinda short but...enjoy.

**Jethro and Ziva**

Chapter 6

_As soon as Ziva reached out for him Jethro felt his heart speed up and his breath catch in his throat. When she invited him to make love with her he did indeed stop thinking. In fact he didn't have a coherent thought for the next several hours unless it involved Ziva and what she was doing to him or vice versa. When she led him down the short hallway to her bedroom, Jethro was operating on instinct and desire only. He wasn't thinking about any consequences, any problems, anything or anyone but the woman holding his hand leading him to a place he had only dared to dream of visiting. _

_Ziva led him to the bedside and when she finally let go of his hand she began unbuttoning her blouse. Jethro was mesmerized by her and didn't dare move for fear he would wake up asleep under his boat in his basement. Ziva reached for his shirt and began pulling it up which brougth him back to the moment and he quickly shed his shirt, tee shirt and shoes. When Ziva reached back to unhook her bra he stopped her. _

"_Let me." _

_His voice was so soft she barely heard him but she felt his hands gently turn her around. He ran his fingers from her shoulders down her arms and back again. Then he pushed her hair to one side and she felt his lips on her neck. He kissed her there over and over again as his hands continued to stroke her quickly heating skin. Finally he pulled back and unhooked her bra running his fingers under the straps pushing them off her shoulders and down. Ziva let it fall to the floor as Jethro cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over her nipples. Ziva unconsciously leaned back into him moaning with pleasure. _

_Jethro kissed her on the shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Want you so much Ziver."_

_Ziva covered his hands with her own and turned her head to kiss him._

"_Show me, Jethro."_

_That night Jethro lost himself completely in the pleasure of being with a person who wanted him as much as he wanted her. He explored every inch of Ziva and found himself feeling more alive than he had in many, many years. Of course there were also a few times he was sure he was going to die from the overwhelming passion he and Ziva shared. Jethro knew somewhere in the very back of his mind that he was giving Ziva a tremendous amount of power over him but he didn't care. He wanted her to have whatever she desired. He wanted to be the one she came apart for and if that meant she had the same power over him then so be it. More than once that night Ziva reduced him to begging and he couldn't have cared less. _

_That first night had been about discovery and unbridled desire for each other. There was very little talking as was normal for the two of them. Afterward, Ziva settled into his side, her head on his shoulder and they fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. They gave very little thought that night to what the next day would hold. Whatever it was going to be, they would deal with it together. _

_For a few weeks everything was fine. They managed to keep their relationship out of the office and no one seemed any the wiser. They were busy with one case after another so no one noticed Jethro's improved mood. They did not arrive or leave together and things seemed to be going well. Too well as a matter of fact. _

_When they had been together for about six weeks Ziva began to notice a subtle change in Jethro at work. At first she tried to ignore it but after a while she could not. She decided to confront him one Friday night as they ate supper at his house. That was the night of their first official disagreement. It would not be their last._

"_Jethro, do you realize you are treating me differently at work since we began sleeping together?"_

_Jethro put his fork down and looked at her across the table. He had no idea what she was talking about._

"_First of all I'm not sure I like us being referred to as 'sleeping together' and secondly I have no idea what you're talking about."_

"_I am talking about the fact that for the last few weeks you have not allowed me to take the lead in any situation involving any sort of danger. You send me with McGee to cover you and Tony more often than not. You are protecting me."_

"_I don't think I'm treating you any differently and so what if I want you safe."_

"_Are you kidding me!"_

_Ziva was furious. She stood up and began pacing back and forth in the room as Jethro just looked at her. She stopped about five feet from him and pointed her finger at him which was a signal to him that she was serious and he was in trouble._

"_I can give you many examples of how you are protecting me in the field. I will not have that Jethro! I am quite capable of taking care of myself and my partners! If you cannot treat me as any other agent, you and I will no longer be sleeping together or whatever you prefer to call it!_

_She was all but shouting at him and as angry as he had ever seen her. Jethro simply sat there, holding his temper and not moving. He really had not realized he was treating her any differently than he ever had. He was usually the first one in the door and that had not changed. Maybe she was right. Things were different for him where she was concerned but he thought he was keeping it out of the office._

"_Are you going to say anything?"_

"_Not sure what to say. I know you can take care of yourself. If I'm treating you differently I don't mean to."_

_Jethro stood up and reached for her and she allowed him to pull her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head and held her tightly against his chest._

"_I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you Ziver. That's not new but it's much more prominent in my mind these days. I'm sorry if I made you feel like I don't trust you or don't think you can do the job. You know that's not how I feel."_

"_Thank you. We cannot allow our personal situation to affect our work. Others will figure out something is going on and I don't think you want that."_

"_Do you?"_

"_Not yet. I like having you all to myself."_

"_Okay. I'll be sure and send you into some dangerous situation next week. Will that help?"_

_Ziva leaned back and punched him lightly in the chest. The smile she showed him told him he was forgiven. _

"_Yes, that will be fine. Now let's finish eating and go work on the boat for a while."_

_After that Jethro was more aware of how he made assignments and he tried to do things as he always had. Ziva seemed to be fine with how work was going and things sailed along for another few weeks. Then one day Jethro got hurt during an arrest and Ziva almost gave away their secret. He wasn't badly hurt but it was enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room and Ziva was barely able to contain her emotions as she watched him being loaded onto a gurney and into the back of an ambulance. Ducky seemed to sense her apprehension and suggested she ride along._

"_We can finish up here. I'm sure Tony won't mind. Go ahead Ziva and we'll catch up with you later."_

_Ziva looked over at DiNozzo and he agreed._

"_Yeah, go ahead and make sure Boss doesn't escape before they treat him. We'll come pick you both up later."_

_Even Jethro couldn't be angry with her when he realized she was holding his hand while a doctor sewed up his leg. He had a minor gunshot wound to his right thigh and though it was painful it was certainly not the worst thing to have happened to that leg. They had given him some pain meds and they were working. Jethro relaxed and let Ziva administer her own brand of medicine._

_Tony and McGee arrived a short time later and left a car for Ziva to use to take Jethro home. When they were finally on the way home Ziva reminded him he would not be able to drive for a couple of days. _

"_Finally a good excuse for us to arrive at work together!"_

_Ziva just smiled._

_As the weeks passed their relationship had its ups and downs but overall they were very good together. Every time Jethro felt himself drifting away, edging back to being alone, Ziva pulled him back. She reminded him he was loved and needed and that always did the trick. Jethro found he relished the simple things that being with someone who loved you brought into your life. He liked having Ziva snuggle with him on the couch, he liked holding her hand and having her in his house. Of course he liked the sex, a lot, but just kissing her for no reason was special. Ziva understood him and never pushed for what he was not able to give her. _

Jethro was so sound asleep he thought he was dreaming when Ziva's hand moved in his. He curled his fingers around her hand and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. When she flexed her fingers and tried to move her hand Jethro finally realized he wasn't dreaming anymore. He bolted upright in his chair and looked at Ziva's face. He found her beautiful dark eyes looking back at him and almost cried right then and there.

He stood up and leaned down to kiss her. As he had promised himself would happen, the first words she heard were his.

"I love you Ziva."

She just smiled at him and touched his face with the fingers he was still holding. She saw the tears in his eyes and wondered how long she had been gone.

"You're going to be okay. I'm so glad to see you looking at me. I love you."

Ziva's throat was so dry she couldn't speak. Jethro had somehow thought to push the call button and a nurse was already in the room.

"Welcome back Ms. David. Don't try to talk just yet. I'll get you some ice chips in a minute."

The nurse checked all Ziva's vital signs and made a note in the charts as to when she had awakened.

"Do you know where you are? Just nod or shake you head no."

Ziva nodded but never took her eyes off Jethro's face.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Shot." Ziva croaked out the answer, already impatient with the no talking suggestion.

"Do you know this handsome man beside you?"

Ziva smiled at him and whispered, "My love."

The nurse touched her on the shoulder and said, "That sounds right."

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, comments, follows, and favorites. One more chapter after this one. That will be posted tomorrow.

**Jethro and Ziva**

Chapter 7

**Six Months Later**

Jethro and Ziva walked out of the courthouse holding hands. It was a warm September afternoon and their lives were finally back on track. They were leaving the sentencing hearing for Bob Talbot. As part of a plea agreement he was given fifteen years for shooting Ziva and the kidnapping charge against him was dropped. Jethro was far from satisfied with the outcome but at the same time he was glad Ziva hadn't had to deal with a trial.

As they descended the steps of the courthouse Ziva squeezed Jethro's hand and said, "I am glad that is all over. Now we and Maureen can get on with our lives. I know she was relieved he took the deal."

"Yeah, I think he got off too easy but I'm glad neither of you had to testify. I think you would have been fine of course but it's a relief to have this over with."

They continued on to their car in silence. It had been a difficult few months but they both felt things were going in the right direction for them now. Ziva's recovery had been longer and more challenging than they expected. Perhaps the most difficult part was when the doctor told them Ziva had been pregnant when she was shot. That was about a week after she came out of the coma. They had both been devastated to learn they had lost a child even though neither of them had had any idea of the pregnancy. He assured them Ziva was fully capable of getting pregnant again which was a relief to them both. There had been a lot of tears that night and a realization that they wanted to have children together. That as much as anything that had happened or been said between them was the turning point in their relationship.

When Ziva was finally released from the hospital she went home with Jethro. She needed someone to help her with daily activities for a while and it just made sense at the time. Besides, Ziva was not eager to return to her apartment and Jethro wanted her with him anyway. Over the course of the next month furniture and belongings were sorted out, moved, sold or given away. Rooms were painted and rearranged, new furniture appeared in the bedroom and living room and flowers and candles regularly showed up in several rooms of the house. As Ziva's recovery progressed, Jethro finally went back to work and Ziva, with his blessing, spent lots of time making his formerly cold, barren house a warm, inviting home for the two of them.

Just as she was sure she was going to lose her mind she was finally allowed to return to work. Two weeks on the desk nearly drove her mad and she was so happy the first time she got back into the field she treated the whole team to lunch. She and Jethro were getting along well both at work and at home. Of course everyone knew they were living together but it didn't seem to phase anyone. The Director assured them that even though it was unorthodox to have a team leader married to one of his agents, as long as they could manage their work lives in a professional manner he would not break up the team.

Jethro was happy and at peace for the first time in a very long time. He liked everything about having Ziva in his life and in his home. He liked having her clothes in his closet, he loved having her cook for him and kiss him awake in the mornings and he had forgotten how nice it was to have someone to just do nothing with. For her part, Ziva was more in love with Jethro every day. She loved having someone to take care of, someone to talk to who understood her and most of all someone she could depend on to always be there for her and love her no matter what.

"Are you hungry? Want to stop for an early supper on the way home?"

"I am hungry but I have something in the slow cooker at home. I would like to go home, relax and enjoy having you all to myself."

"Sounds perfect. Home it is."

Jethro reached for her hand and entwined his fingers with hers.

"Have I told you lately how very happy I am to have you in my life?"

"You have but I like hearing it. I am pretty sure I love you more than I did last week."

Jethro laughed and stole a quick kiss at a red light. He would never understand how he had gotten so lucky and for the time being at least he didn't really care. There was only one thing that would improve their situation and he planned to take care of that in the very near future.

Ziva looked out at the passing scenery and said a silent prayer of thanks for the man sitting next to her. Her life had been a difficult journey but with Jethro at her side she felt there was nothing that could harm her. She was anxious to get home because she had something important to talk to him about and she didn't want to do it in public. She was pretty sure he would be pleased about the news but she had learned a long time ago to take nothing for granted where Jethro was concerned.

When they got home Jethro parked the car but then just sat there with the engine running. He seemed in a daze.

"Are we getting out?"

"What? Oh yeah, of course."

He turned off the car but still made no move to get out. Ziva looked at him and saw he was staring at the house with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Jethro, are you alright? Why are you just sitting there?"

"I'm fine. I was just thinking about this house and that maybe you want to live some place else. I mean I just assumed you'd be okay living here but that's not really fair. I have a lot of history here and maybe you would like a fresh start in a new house. Would you?"

"Not particularly. I cannot imagine you giving up this house. I like it here just fine. Do you want to move?"

"No, not really. Are you sure you wouldn't like something newer?"

"What makes you think that? This house has too many wonderful memories for you. Sure there are some bad ones but the good memories outweigh them. Right?"

"Yeah. I just want you to have what you want, Zi. I want to give you the best of everything."

"Jethro, what I want is you. Where does not matter to me. I would like to be inside though, not out here in the car."

"Right. Let's go in, change and enjoy the rest of the day, just the two of us."

When they got inside Jethro started up the stairs to change his clothes and Ziva went into the kitchen to check on the food. She found it was almost ready and headed upstairs to change clothes herself. She walked in the bedroom to find Jethro standing in front of the closet, wearing nothing but his boxers, hanging up his suit. He still took her breath away no matter how many times she saw him.

"As much as I like you in that suit, I think I like you more out of it."

As she said that she wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed him on the shoulder. Her hands began caressing his chest as she kissed him again and again.

"You know, I feel the same way about everything you wear."

Jethro turned in her arms and drew her into a long slow kiss. When he let her up for a breath, she pushed him down on the bed and stepped back.

"Dinner isn't quite ready so if you let me get out of these clothes we could start enjoying our day in about two minutes."

"I can wait two minutes but not a second more."

Jethro moved back on the bed and watched her undress. The highlight of any day was having Ziva in his arms and it looked like this particular day was about to get very good for him. From the first time they made love until this very moment, Jethro could never get enough of Ziva. He loved and appreciated everything about her. She made him laugh, she mystified him and surprised him and sometimes she even scared him, but she never disappointed him. Not in any way.

With seconds to spare Ziva was on the bed and Jethro barely had time to take a breath before she let him know in no uncertain terms that she was in charge for the foreseeable future. That was fine with him because it meant he didn't have to think; just enjoy.

Later, as they enjoyed simply lying together, touching and kissing, Ziva decided the time had come to talk to Jethro about her news. Jethro was on his back and she was lying on her side running her fingers through the soft, gray hair on his chest.

"Jethro, I have something to tell you."

Her voice was so serious Jethro looked at her with concern. Before she could continue he sat up, leaned against the headboard and watched as she sat up crossed legged beside him.

"You sound serious."

Ziva was teasing him but of course he didn't know it. She could so rarely get anything over on him she couldn't help but take advantage of this opportunity.

"I am serious. This is serious."

"Should we get dressed?"

Laughing, Ziva responded, "why would we do that?"

"You said it was serious and we are naked. I have trouble concentrating when you're naked."

"I think you'll do fine."

"Okay, what is it?"

"My father would like for you to go see him in Israel."

The look on his face was priceless and almost caused Ziva to burst out laughing. Jethro did not like her father much and the thought of going to see him was not a pleasant one. They had spoken only briefly since Jethro and Ziva became more than professional colleagues. She watched as a myriad of emotions passed through Jethro's eyes and over his face.

"What does he want?"

"To ask you intentions I imagine. You know since we are living together."

"You told him we're living together?"

"Of course. I am not ashamed of it. And, he needs to know where I am for security reasons."

That last part was true. Ziva knew she needed to tell him what she really wanted to say but this was just so much fun. She feared though that her expression was about to give her away; she could feel the grin beginning to appear on her face.

"Ziva are you serious? Your father wants me to go to Israel to talk about my intentions towards you?"

"I am serious but no, my father does not want to talk to you. I have something else to tell you though."

Almost before she finished talking he lunged at her, pinned her to the bed and began tickling her unmercifully. Ziva fought him but he was too strong and besides she was laughing so hard she could barely breathe much less throw him off her. When he finally stopped he looked down at her and waited until she caught her breath. Then he devoured her taking away what little breath she had managed to gulp into her lungs. When he himself had to breathe, he rolled off her and pulled her on top of himself.

"You are evil sometimes you know that?"

"I couldn't resist. I'm sorry."

She was smiling at him and he had to give her credit, she had him fooled.

"What did you really want to tell me?"

Ziva leaned down, her hands on either side of his head, her face just inches above his. She lowered herself and gave him a quick, sweet kiss on the lips. Then she pulled back, just barely, and gave him the news he had wanted to hear for so long.

"We are pregnant, Jethro."

Neither of them blinked or breathed or moved for long seconds. Ziva leaned down and kissed him.

"How long?"

"Just a month. I confirmed it yesterday."

Her face was so full of love and excitement. Jethro rolled them over and then moved to get up.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Stay right there. Don't move."

Not the reaction she had expected but Ziva did as he asked. She stayed there on the bed and waited for him to come back. Jethro went into the bathroom and she heard him opening the linen cabinet. What in the world was he doing, she wondered.

Jethro came back and rejoined Ziva on the bed. He sat back against the headboard and motioned for her to join him. While she was getting turned around, Jethro secreted something under his pillow. Ziva sat on his lap, straddling him. Jethro soaked in the sight of the woman he loved sitting naked on his lap with a beautiful smile on her face. He reached up and carefully swept her hair back and pulled her down so he could kiss her. When he let her sit back she ran her fingers down his chest and looked at him carefully.

"Jethro, you need to say something about what I just told you."

He reached for her hands and kissed both her palms. He took a deep breath and looked lovingly at the woman of his dreams.

"Ziva, you just made me the happiest man in the world. When I think that just six short months ago I almost lost you it makes me sick. And, when I think about how I almost gave up on us back then I can't believe I could have been so stupid. I am beyond happy that we are going to have a child together. There is only one thing that could made me happier."

"What is that?"

"Will you marry me?"

Jethro reached under his pillow and produced a simple but stunning diamond engagement ring. Ziva gasped and tears immediately sprang to her eyes. Jethro took her left hand in his and slipped the ring on her third finger.

"Now it's your turn to say something."

"Yes, yes I would be honored to marry you. Oh, Jethro you make me so happy."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: This is the last chapter of this story. Thanks to all who read and reviewed, favorite and followed.

**Jethro and Ziva**

**Seven Years Later**

"Ziva, we're going to be late. Come on!"

Two pairs of small feet came clambering down the stairs followed by their mother who was just pulling on her sweater.

"It is a five minute drive to the school. We will not be late."

"Ziva, it's the first day. There will be tons of parents there. Let's go."

"Will you please relax. Take a deep breath, Jethro."

Ziva leaned into him and kissed him quickly on the mouth. Meanwhile two boys with new backpacks on their shoulders were milling around the front door waiting on their parents to get it together.

"We could walk there quicker," Jacob whispered to his little brother.

"I know," responded Sam who was starting kindergarten this morning while his older brother was going into second grade.

"Okay you two ready to go?"

"Yes, daddy. Can we go in the truck? Please!"

Jethro looked at Ziva. She was a stickler for seatbelts but it was only a few blocks to the school. She gave him a slight nod and a smile.

"Sure, we can squeeze in just this one time."

Ziva checked them over one last time then herded everyone to the car. It was the first day of school in a new school and she was undoubtedly more nervous than either of her sons. Jacob regarded himself as an expert on school having finished first grade last summer. He had talked to his brother so much about school that Sam was sure he knew all about it already. Aside from getting new backpacks and lots of new, fun school supplies neither child seemed all that taken with the excitement of a new school year. After all their lives had already seen a lot excitement and change in the last five years.

When they arrived at the small elementary school, Jethro and Ziva walked with the boys into the school and saw them to their classrooms. The mood in the school was almost festive as most of the parents were there even for the older kids. It was a tradition that the parents who could manage it came the first day and when the kids were settled in their classrooms the parents spent some time in the cafeteria having coffee and donuts and getting reacquainted after summer break. The Gibbs boys were new to the school so Jethro and Ziva took advantage of the time to meet some of the other parents of kindergarteners and second graders.

On the way out of the school Ziva reached for Jethro's hand and squeezed.

"Could we take a drive before you go to work?"

"Sure. Where would you like to go?"

"The lake. I'd just like some time alone with you this morning."

"Zi, is everything alright?"

He reached for her and she moved over to sit beside him.

"Yes, I just want some alone time."

Jethro didn't push the issue even though he was sure there was something on his wife's mind. He remembered a couple of first days of school for Kelly. Maybe Ziva was just feeling strange with both her boys in school all day now. It was just one of the many changes they had gone through in the past couple of years.

When they got to the lake, Jethro parked near a walking trail and they both got out of the truck. Hand in hand they started down the familiar track that circled the small lake. There were benches every once in a while and soon they came to one that was in a sunny spot. Ziva stopped and pulled Jethro down beside her. She leaned into his side and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

After a few minutes Jethro realized Ziva was crying.

"Hey, Ziver what's the matter?"

"I think it just all catching up with me. So much has changed and with Jacob and Sammy both in school it's just hitting me I guess."

"Are you unhappy with what we've done, Ziva?"

Ziva straightened up and looked at her husband. The look of concern on his face startled her.

"Oh god no, Jethro. I am very happy with our life here. I love you and our boys with all my heart. I think maybe I have not taken time to process everything in the past few months and today it just hit me. I am very happy with you Jethro, never doubt that."

"Okay. Let's just sit here and enjoy the sunshine for a while. I love you, Ziver."

The couple held onto each other and let the past few years float past them on the morning breeze.

_Jethro and Ziva were married just a month after he proposed. Her pregnancy progressed perfectly and Jacob Paul Gibbs was born seven months later. He was the most perfect little creature Ziva had ever seen. She held him and studied him for hours. When it was time for her to go back to work she could hardly bear to leave him at home with a nanny. After a few months back at work Jethro suggested one night that she consider working part time. That meant leaving his team of course but he could see her heart was no longer on her work; it was at home with Jacob. The Director was able to move Ziva to a position in the Intelligence division where she worked three days a week at the office and Mondays and Fridays from home. It was a perfect arrangement and Ziva and Jacob thrived together. Jethro was sorry to lose her on his team but honestly was thrilled she was no longer in the field. Even if it meant training a new agent._

_Jacob was barely one year old when Ziva got pregnant again. Jethro seemed unnaturally proud of himself the night Ziva gave him the news. She was excited and happy but also a bit apprehensive about having a two year old and a baby. _

"_You'll be fine, Ziver. You're a natural and Mrs. Green will be thrilled to have a baby in the house again."  
_

"_I know. It's just a surprise I guess."_

"_Really? Because I don't remember us being very careful about precautions. We talked about another little one all along. Are you okay with this?"_

"_Of course I am. I'm thrilled really."_

_Eight months later Samuel Jackson arrived early one morning. Again, he was just as perfect as his brother and Ziva spent hours cuddling him and watching him. While Jacob had his mother's curly dark hair and eyes, Samuel was the spitting image of his father with light brown hair and striking blue eyes. Both boys were healthy, happy babies who ate well and slept through the night by the time they were a month old. Jacob was very taken with his little brother and to this day was protective of him. Sammy followed Jacob everywhere and much to their parents' delight the boys were best friends. _

_Life continued as always for the Gibbs family after Samuel was born. Ziva returned to work and Jethro was still in charge of the MCRT. His work hours were not as bad as when Ziva was on the team because now he had someone to go home to and Tony was more than capable of leading the team in Jethro's absence. The boys were growing and the family was thriving as Jacob entered kindergarten two years ago. That first day of school was the last really good day the family had for a long time._

_During the second week of school Ziva's father suffered a serious heart attack and she flew to Israel to be with him. Eli survived but Ziva was gone for almost a month. That was a difficult time for them all but Jethro managed with the help of Mrs. Green and the team. He talked to Ziva at least three times a week but since they had not been apart for more than a couple of days since they were married her absence was very hard on him. Ziva was his anchor and his light. Now he had the boys and that helped tremendously but they did not take the place of his wife. Luckily, he was exhausted most of the time between work and his sons so when he fell into bed at night he usually slept pretty well._

_Ziva finally returned and things improved for several weeks. Unfortunatley, that was to be short lived. _

_On the Monday before Thanksgiving Jethro and his team were out on an investigation that went terribly wrong. To this day Ziva did not know all the details of what happened that day. All she knew for sure at the time was that her husband was very nearly dead, Tim was shot but not badly injured and Tony was knocked unconscious. The bad guys didn't get far before they were caught by the backup team but by then the damage was done._

_Ziva was working at home that day and when the call came from the Director she sensed something was drastically wrong. She was right.  
_

"_Ziva, there should be an agent in your driveway right now. Jethro has been shot and is on the way to Washington Trauma."_

"_How bad is it?"_

_Ziva was having trouble breathing but very shortly her training took over and she went into agent mode._

"_It's bad, Ziva. They were ambushed and Gibbs got the worst of it. Go with the agent who's there. Ducky and I will meet you at the hospital."_

"_Right."_

_Ziva hung up and gave Mrs. Green a quick summary of what was happening._

"_Don't worry about the boys. I'll get Jacob from school and we'll be here whenever you get home. I can stay as long as you need me to."_

_Ziva hugged her and ran out of the house. When she got to the hospital, Jethro had already been taken to surgery. She was joined by Director Vance and Ducky and Abby in the waiting room. Aside from a minor gunshot wound before they were married, Jethro had managed to avoid anything more serious than a black eye for the last several years. Apparently, today his luck had run out._

_Jethro had three gunshot wounds but he doggedly hung on, clinging to life through three surgeries and ten days in the ICU. Ziva did not leave the hospital for three days refusing to leave Jethro's side. Eventually, Ducky persuaded her to go home to shower, eat and see her children. The boys were still young enough that she could pass this off as a sort of adventure telling them daddy was working and mommy was helping him. She had no idea what she was going to tell Jacob if his father didn't come home. Jacob adored Jethro and imitated him in almost everything he did from the way he chewed to the way he walked. Ziva refused to believe Jethro would not survive and come back to her. He was her life and as much as she loved her children she knew life without Jethro was not something she wanted to contemplate. _

_Jethro finally left the ICU after ten days but was in the hospital for another two weeks before he was finally able to go home. Even at home he was barely able to get around and slept downstairs for another two weeks. Jacob and Samuel were overjoyed at seeing their dad even if he couldn't play ball with them or go for walks. They contented themselves with watching television together and when Jethro was able he read them stories. As his strength gradually returned he taught Jacob card games and he and Sammy colored and did puzzles together. _

_After three months of hospitals, convalescence and rehab, Jethro finally returned to work. Much to his surprise he found his heart was not in it anymore. He missed Sammy with whom he had spent so many afternoons in the past two months. He missed Ziva who had been home with him at least part of every week while he recovered. He missed Jacob running in the house after school to tell him what he'd learned and show him his latest drawing. _

_One night as they were getting into bed Jethro dropped his bombshell._

"_I'm thinking of retiring."_

_Ziva stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. She had sensed he wasn't all that glad to be back to work but figured he just needed time to get past his brush with death. It may not have been the first time he was injured but it was certainly the closest he had come to dying._

"_Are you serious, Jethro?"_

"_Yeah. We'd be fine money wise and I think maybe it's time."_

"_Why now?"_

"_That was too close a call in November. That was a routine case that never should have gone sideways like it did. I don't want to risk it anymore. I have too much to live for Ziva. I don't want to put you and boys through that, or worse, again."_

"_I want you to be sure, Jethro. Do not do this for me or for the boys. You have to be absolutely sure. I know you love what you do. It has been your life for so long."_

"_It's not my life anymore. You, Jake and Sammy are my life. I want to enjoy them while they're little. I want us to have lots of time together. I've earned that, I think."_

"_I couldn't agree more. I would love it if you were home more but what would you do? You cannot just sit home."_

"_I've got an idea. Sure you want to hear it?"_

_Ziva was intrigued. Jethro had a gleam in his eye she had not seen for a while. His recovery had been very difficult; painful and challenging both physically and emotionally. Tonight though he had a light in his eyes she had missed seeing._

"_Yes, I want to hear your idea. You seem excited."_

_Jethro sat on the bed and pulled Ziva down beside him. He settled against the headboard and she sat crossed legged by his side. He reached for her hands and gave her a smile. She could hardly wait to hear what he had to say._

"_I talked to my dad last week and he's ready to retire and sell the store. What would you think of moving to Stillwater and running the store? I mean I'd run the store and you'd do whatever you wanted to do or do nothing except raise our boys."  
_

_Ziva was stunned. Never in a million years would she have guessed Jethro wanted to return to his boyhood home. She didn't know what to say._

"_I see I've surprised you. Ziver, I have been thinking for a while about raising our boys in a small place away from all the craziness here. A place where I can teach them to fish and hunt. Where they can ride their bikes up and down the street and be safe. I had a lot of time to think about things lying in bed all those weeks. You and our boys are the most precious things in the world to me and I want us to have the best life we can possibly have. Will you think about it? You don't have to answer tonight, just think about it. If you don't want to move we'll stay here and do something else."_

_Ziva looked at his face and knew she would soon be living in a small town in Pennsylvania. Jethro had not been this happy and excited about something for a long time. As good as their lives were before he was shot, she had sometimes sensed they were going through the motions. Now she could see a way their family could really embrace life and make it something special for the children and for themselves as well._

"_Jethro, I do not need to think about it. I see on your face how much you want this and that is enough for me. I think it would be wonderful for the boys and for us too. And we would be there for your dad. The boys could actually grow up with at least one grandfather around. Yes, we should do this. But are you sure you will be happy as a storekeeper?"_

"_Yeah, I'm sure. Thank you Ziva. I adore you."_

_Jethro pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. The kisses got heated and before long Ziva slipped out of her sleeping clothes and divested Jethro of his as well. Their lovemaking was slow and sweet that night. Afterward as they lay together Jethro ran his finger down her arm and kissed her softly on the mouth._

"_There's something I want to tell you."_

"_More? Really?"_

"_Yeah. I want you to know that I am only here because of you. I heard you talking to me in the hospital. For a long time in the beginning I thought I was going to die."_

_Jethro saw her swallow and close her eyes. They had never talked about that day in any detail but he needed to say these things. _

"_I don't want to hurt you but I need to say this."_

"_It is okay, Jethro, go ahead. We should have talked about this long ago."_

"_When I got shot I knew it was bad. I couldn't move and pretty soon I couldn't hear anything and it was all dark. By the time the ambulance got there I hurt so bad I just wanted it to stop. I thought about you and the boys and I figured I wasn't going to see you again. Then it was all black. Later I saw Kelly and Shannon and I wanted to go with them because it was light and they looked happy. Then I heard people yelling and lights and then nothing for a long time. _

_I heard you talking then. I felt you touching me and saying you loved me. I knew you were there Zi and I wanted so bad so see you. Sometimes it hurt so much I couldn't stand it and I wanted to let go but you kept calling me and kissing me and begging me to come back and I couldn't leave you. Ziver, if you hadn't been there I would have given up even as much as I wanted to see the boys again it was too hard to do on my own."_

_Jethro was drained and couldn't go on. He closed his eyes and Ziva snuggled into this side wrapping her arms around him. Tears stung his eyes and he didn't try to stop them. _

"_Thank you for coming back, Jethro. I will always need you and love you. Thank you for fighting. You are the best man I have ever known and I don't want to imagine my life without you. You are right, we need to change our lives for the better and concentrate on living and enjoying the gifts we have been given. You have more than earned that."_

_It took some organization and creative planning but within the year Jethro had retired from NCIS and the family prepared to move to Stillwater at the end of the school year. Selling the house was something Ziva worried would be especially difficult for Jethro. He convinced her he was ready to let go. He reminded her it was just a house; wherever they were together was home. Probably what made it easier was that the first person the realtor brought over was a young Marine wife, Suzanne Johnson. She and her husband who was deployed in Afghanistan, had a three year old girl. The husband was due home in July and they wanted to move into their own home. Jethro gave the young woman a tour of the house and at the same time learned about her husband. He was on his third tour of duty and had not been home much of his daughter's life. Mrs. Johnson told Jethro her husband's hobby was woodworking and that pretty much sealed the deal. When he showed her the basement she was thrilled to see it was a workshop space. After she left, excited about the house, Jethro told the realtor he wanted to know what the couple could comfortably afford and that was to be the selling price if they wanted the house. A week later Jethro received a call in MTAC from Captain Johnson in Afghanistan. They discussed the details of the house and at the end of the call the deal was done. _

_Jethro and Ziva moved to Stillwater at the end of June after school was out for the summer. Through the wonders of technology, Ziva was still working for NCIS as a consusltant. She worked primarily from home of course but traveled to DC for a few days every quarter for more hands on consulting. This arrangement worked just fine for everyone. Jethro and the boys usually accompanied her to DC where they stayed in a hotel or with Ducky and caught up with old friends. It was the best of both worlds._

_Jackson was thrilled to have Jethro and his family in Stillwater. Jethro and Ziva found a wonderful old house that would keep Jethro plenty busy with projects for a long time. Jethro kept the store open and Jack continued to be there every day just as he had for so many years. With his son and grandsons and Ziva in town he suddenly wasn't all that ready to retire after all. _

_Jacob and Samuel were excited to move to a small town and see their grandfather every day. They loved having their dad home all the time and were soon spending all their time outdoors playing and exploring just as their father had done as a young boy. Once again the family was thriving. _

Jethro felt Ziva moving against him and realized they had been sitting on the bench in the sunshine for almost an hour. He needed to get to the store before his dad sent out a search party. He turned carefully and kissed Ziva.

"Hey, we better get going. Dad will be looking for me and you have a conference call with Leon in thirty minutes."

"Oh, gosh I think I fell asleep. I was dreaming about the night you told me you wanted to retire."

"Yeah, I have been remembering all the stuff we've gone through since I was shot. We've made a good life for ourselves haven't we?"

"Absolutely. This was the best possible thing we could have done, Jethro. The boys are so happy here and I love it too. Do you miss NCIS?"

"No, not at all. I miss the people sometimes but we get back there often enough that it's not an issue. This is where we belong, Ziver. I love you."

END


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